No Gods, No Masters
by Ediros
Summary: Currently Being Reworked.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I DO NOT OWN DANMACHI OR FALLOUT AND MAKE NO PROFIT OF THIS FREE ACCESS FANFICTION**

**END OF DISCLAIMER.**

* * *

"Behold, Courier Six! The genius of Big Mountain research facility!" Doctor Borous yelled at the top of his lungs, his green brain jar shaking from the excitement as he gestured at the object standing behind him.

It was a massive space shuttle, based on the Hermes-13 rocket meant for the Mars Mission. Unlike its predecessor, it was further upgraded with a newer version of saturnite alloy and equipped with advanced ion engines based on the propulsion system, which utilized robots such as ED-E and Mister Handy. It was also outfitted with newest sensors, alongside an experimental jump drive technology based on the Big Mountain transportalponder.

The result, a massive space shuttle similar to that, which first carried people to the moon. However, compared to old rockets, which burnt fuel to reach the Earth's orbit. It used rails based on Gauss rifles to accelerate and reach the vacuum of space. The rails itself were located away from the facility to prevent collateral damage and keep the Big Mountain facility hidden from prying eyes.

"It's impressive, I will admit, but what do you expect me to do with it?" Courier Six admitted as he looked over the structure. The man in question was fully dressed in a suit of Pre-War Elite Riot Gear armour, further improved with technologies from the Big Mountain.

The armour itself was upgraded with a newer version of saturnite alloy. It was known for its durability, sharpness, and ability to retain heat for long periods of time. Good heat retention was a boon in certain circumstances, such as blades and other weapons acting on the same principle. However, infusing it with human bones or tissue would lead to the user cooking himself from the inside out and the space shuttle turning into a giant oven upon the entrance into the atmosphere.

That's why a new version of it had to be developed, specifically designed to be used with a human body. Following a year of research, the alloy was adapted to be more usable as armour and promptly named Saturnite 2.0. It was just as resilient as its predecessor, but this time it was even capable of surviving the cloud, without decaying anymore or letting it inside the armour and with the bonus of being hard to heat up.

On the man's back were two weapons, a flagpole known as Old Glory, given to him by Ulysses and further improved with saturnite alloy. The other one, a hunting rifle, known as Paciencia. The latter of which, he upgraded with a scope, extended magazine, and custom action. On the right side of his waist was a custom auto pistol, he received from Joshua Graham, previously a Legate of Caesar's Legion. The weapon was called a Light Shining in the Darkness, which was also upgraded with an extended magazine, silencer, and an HD slide. Last but not least, was a bowie knife called Blood-nap, which rested in a holster on his right thigh.

"Well, my little teddy bear, we were hoping that you would test it out and see if it works," Doctor Dala explained, paying close attention to her favourite lobotomite's movements.

"Do you honestly want me to test it out? Seriously? Why not send some kind of robot instead?" He argued, crossing his arms in response.

"There is a risk of their internal systems being fried during launch or something. Not to mention, unless you put a true AI on it, their programming will limit them and prevent them from acting in case of emergency," Doctor Zero explained, his newfound confidence shining through.

"And it still doesn't prevent them from being fried," The Courier said, while the scientist nodded. "That makes sense. Having said that, what do you expect me to do? Fly to the other side of the galaxy?" He asked, his voice modulated by the helmet.

"Nothing so extreme. We only want you to take it into space, make a jump from Earth to Mars and that's it," Doctor Zero explained.

"And what if it doesn't work?" He questioned.

"^#!#($%^$^&!$^$," Doctor Eight butted in, gaining the attention of the group.

"You are not filling me with confidence, Eight. Suffocation is not a pleasant death, the same with burning up in the atmosphere," Courier deadpanned, before resting a hand on his temple and sighing with resignation. "Fine, I'll do it, but at least tell me, will I be the only passenger on the shuttle?"

"WE, THE GREAT SCIENTISTS OF BIG MOUNTAIN, INTENDED TO PUT SOME OF OUR FINEST EXPERIMENTS INSIDE, FOR SCIENCE!" Doctor Klein yelled, his volume knob turned up too much, again.

"Of fucking course, but… did you?" He groaned, before glancing over the scientists.

"Klein wanted to, but we managed to prevent it, Mobius helped with his roboscorpions. So, to answer your question, you should be the only one inside the shuttle," Zero responded.

"Should be?" He inquired, his eyes narrowed behind his helmet.

"We ran multiple scans, my little teddy bear, which came out negative," Dala answered, while the Courier sighed.

"At least that's something…fine, let me put on the spacesuit and I will be on my way," He finally admitted, while the scientists cheered.

With a shake of his head and a small smile on his lips, he got down to work. Ever since he had dealt with Think Tank, he began clearing out the Big Mountain, fixing the broken facilities, uncovering new technologies and improving the ones already existing. While he was harsh towards them, it was not without basis. If Doctor Mobius hadn't trapped them in Big Mountain using a reclusive loop to trap their programming all those years ago, the Think Tank would have wreaked havoc upon the world. Still, once they were on his side, their expertise proved to be invaluable in helping the world recover.

They had improved the holograms from the Sierra Madre, making them more aware of their surroundings, deadlier than before, with a bigger range and reinforced saturnite casing that protected the fragile electronics located inside. Then there was his grappling gun as well as bomb collars, not to mention the ability to store Cloud. Furthermore, they improved his pipboy, copying the schematics of all kinds of weapons and armour, even those from before the War as well as those manufactured by Gun Runners. He could easily produce almost anything, including chems and drugs, as well as even the holograms themselves.

There were also the implants, like Kinetic Accelerators, Nanobionic Weave, Bionic Eyes, Nemean subdermal armour and many more. They even managed to scale down the forcefields from Big Mountain, allowing them to be used in actual combat, one of which he had installed in the left arm of his armour. They also managed to replicate ED-E, with all the appropriate upgrades he acquired back at the Divide. Unfortunately, some of the discoveries and technologies came at a price. An unpleasant memory began to surface, but he forced it down and focused on the task at hand.

"I'm in Earth's orbit, do you copy?" Courier asked, fully suited up in a red spacesuit, that he found at the RepCon HQ.

He was sitting in a single chair out of three, located inside the main cockpit. The cockpit itself was fairly unremarkable, Spartan even. Outside of a huge console with more buttons, levers and pilot lights than he had ever seen before, it was bare of any human amenities. Metal panels, screwed to the hull, some handles for easier manoeuvrability and one huge glass window with a clear view on the vacuum of space.

"This is Zero, Think Tank copy. How are your vitals, was the acceleration too much?" Zero inquired, relieved that everything went well so far.

"Compared to being shot in the head, it's bearable. You could boost it a bit more, I had to use the engines sooner than I expected. Outside of that, smooth sailing, copy," He replied.

"Glad to hear it, now set up the coordinates and we should hear from you soon enough. The communication will be cut, due to the distance, do you copy?" Zero asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Copy, setting the coordinates now, stand by for jump in ten seconds," Courier replied, before shutting the communication down. Preparing mentally for the experience, he began the countdown. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six," He said, the shuttle humming, a small bubble-like barrier forming around it. "Five, four, three, two, one."

It happened in an instant, one second, he was prepared for the upcoming jump, next he felt like he was put through a keyhole, head first, the agony he felt lasting for a moment, before it disappeared just as quickly as it came.

However, before he could get his bearings, the console in front of him began sparking uncontrollably, the lights in the shuttle dying down, before everything went silent. He blinked, feeling dizzy from the experience. With a groan, he forced his brain to focus on the current situation.

"What the fuck just happened?" He muttered to nobody in particular. Taking a look around, he materialized the pipboy out of thin air and turned on the light. 'At least that one seems to be working just fine…' It was yet another of Big Mountain's inventions, which allowed him to store almost anything without being over-encumbered. This along with his own capacity limit, allowed him to house hundreds of stimpaks, drugs, ammo, special rounds and weapons just to name a few.

Thanks to that, he no longer had to leave anything behind. It was probably one of the most useful things he possessed in the entire history of Big Mountain research facility, their Magnum Opus so to speak. Normally the pipboy was bound to his arm and locked, but the Think Tank managed to take care of that. It also used to look bulky, while the new version easily rested in the palm of his head. One downside was that because it wasn't locked to his arm the same way as before, it would be easier to steal. However, a small application of saturnite wire, kept it securely in place.

Standing up, he could feel himself float, as the magnetic shoes failed to work. The Courier frowned, brought the left shoe close to his face and gave it a quick glance. It seemed to look fine, but for whatever reason, it didn't work. 'That's worrisome.' Biting his lip, he materialized two pieces of scrap electronics, alongside all the appropriate tools, and began unscrewing the panel. Once all the screws were gone, he looked inside and scowled. 'Everything just melted or straight out fried, it's nothing more but a scrap metal, if it can even be called that, to begin with. Only the wires survived. Wait, what about the rest of the ship?'

Panic began to rise, as he finally realized how deathly silent everything was. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down and got back to his magnetic shoes. It only took a few minutes at best, before they were back in working condition. Standing up straight, he made his way to the control panel and looked through the window, his jaw-dropping to the ground. In front of him was a planet, similar to the Earth, with oceans, continents, and forests. However, that's where the similarities ended. The shape was all wrong, instead of multiple continents, there was a single supercontinent with a few smaller ones spread out over the planet.

"… At times like this, I wish I never agreed to this whole idea," He muttered. 'One thing is certain, this isn't Earth. Heck, I wasn't supposed to leave our solar system, yet here I am. I swear, at times like this I wish I had vivisected all of those idiots.'

Shaking his head, he investigated the control panel and frowned immediately. No matter what he did, nothing seemed to work. 'Okay, everything is either fried or melted, just like the boots. The reactor most likely shut down and all life support systems along with it. Which means, unless I turn them back on, I will die due to a lack of oxygen if the ship doesn't crash into the planet before that happens. Fuck my life…' The Courier groaned as he realized just how bad things currently were.

He turned around and made his way to the back of the cockpit, where a single hermetic door was located, similar to that of a plane. Under normal circumstances, it could easily be operated by a small control panel next to it. Fortunately enough, one didn't design a spaceship or a plane without a manual override of some sort. He pulled a lever located on the door, then began rotating the sluice, until it opened with a small hiss and he made his way to the storage compartment. It was meant to house all kinds of stuff but was left empty on purpose to give the space shuttle a clean run so to say. Not to mention, with the Pipboy being far better at storing items and supplies, it was deemed unnecessary.

The only problem was the fact that, the Think Tank did not supply all of the parts in case of an emergency. They calculated that under no circumstances everything in the ship would fail, and only provided back up parts for the engines, reactor, and life support systems, alongside all the necessary blueprints for the space shuttle. 'And that's why you should never trust a bunch of insane scientists in brain jars. I knew I should have taken more spare parts. The only good thing about this whole situation is the fact that I still have got my smarts and skills, so making some makeshift repairs should be doable.'

After that, he made his way to the reactor located in the back. It was a giant cube with some tubes, similar to the transportalponder. And currently, the entirety of it was fried. While he could technically fix it right here and now, he didn't want to waste the only working reactor he had left, in case the shuttle decided to crash on the planet in the nearest future. With his mind made up, he used two fission batteries, some scrap metal and some scrap electronics to jury-rig the reactor into working condition.

Once it turned on, he could see some of the panels sparking, but nothing else seemed to have happened. Turning around he made his way to the life support systems, similar in design to the reactor. And just like the last time, he jury-rigged the whole thing, before it turned back on. A green light told him everything he needed to know, his body releasing a breath he hadn't known he held.

Only after making sure the two systems were working fine, he made his way back to the cockpit and looked at the control panel. He had to manually fix all the components to get this ship back into working condition. He looked up and gazed at the planet below. It wasn't the only thing he was worried about, he couldn't tell how close he was to the planet or how much time he had left before the whole thing came crashing down. Worst case scenario, he would crash on the planet and be forced to create a new space shuttle from scratch. Just as he was pondering his options, something collided with the back of the ship, making him crash into the console with a thud. 'Oh, come on! This ain't fair anymore!'

The planet that he considered far enough to be in stable orbit was coming closer, as the speed of the shuttle increased. One thing was certain, hitting the ground would result in catastrophic damage – for both the shuttle and himself.

He was tough, one of the toughest and deadliest men in Mojave Wasteland, but that didn't make him invulnerable. And the impact of this size could kill almost everyone he knew. He had only one chance of survival. Using his pipboy, he put on Remnants power armour, before making himself comfortable in the seat as he awaited the inevitable. The armour itself was black with an insect-like design of the helmet, black paint and a reactor located in the back. He could see a corona of flame forming around the cockpit as the speed of the shuttle increased, the ship entering the atmosphere. The surface of the shuttle slowly gaining a red hue as the air friction caused an immense strain on the surface.

The entirety of the vehicle was now shaking, as it dived at a sixty-degree angle towards the surface. As he drew closer to the surface, he could see clouds going past him and decided it was as good time as any to do so. Bringing his pipboy close to his face, he selected one drug that would decide whether he would survive or not, Battle Brew. He preferred not to use it unless things were going real south, but at this point, he had no other choice. He could feel as his body became tougher to external damage, the miraculous substance flowing through his veins as the surface of the planet became visible. 'Here goes nothing…'

In the meantime, the citizens of the city of Orario were casually strolling through the city at night, drinking beer, dancing or just going to the Dungeon to grind some more. Those that looked in the sky, could see what looked like a falling star, heading towards someplace on the planet. Many looked into the sky, pointing at it, making wishes and enjoying the show. One particular goddess, sitting at the top of Babel tower found herself smiling, sipping wine from her glass.

"It looks beautiful, doesn't it, Ottar?" She asked her strongest adventurer, a level 7 Boaz person and the only one to ever reach that level.

"Indeed it does, lady Freya," He answered, nodding in response.

"Is there something you wish for?" She asked, gently swirling the wine in her glass.

"I only wish for your wishes to be granted, lady Freya," He answered, while the goddess smiled and sipped some of her drink.

She wasn't the only one to look at the light show, as certain red-headed trickster goddess, by the name of Loki also enjoyed the spectacle alongside the rest of her Familia.

"Look, Ais, a falling star!" Lefiya, an elf with auburn hair, exclaimed. "Quick, make a wish!"

Ais, a beautiful blond swordswoman of Loki Familia nodded at the suggestion and put her hand on her chest and made her wish. 'I wish to become even stronger.'

"I wish for Ais to take me on a date!" Loki yelled, grinning from ear to ear, before a fist smacked her in the forehead, causing tears to appear in the corners of her eyes. The owner of the said fist was from the same blond, she wished for.

"We should make an expedition and see if it brings some good valis towards us," Garreth, a dwarf with a long beard suggested, his Axe resting on his back.

"Possibly, though with the Guild having a rather restrictive policy, it might take some time," Finn, a blonde Pallum responded.

"Even then, it's worth investigating. It could even possess some unique materials not seen anywhere in the Dungeon," Riveria added, her green hair and pointy ears, reminding spectators she was one of the high elves – nobility amongst an elven kind.

"Hah, now you're talking!" Gareth said and laughed, along with the rest of the group, while Riveria rolled her eyes, before permitting herself a bit of smile.

At the same time, a lonely Renart with blond hair and green eyes, looked at the sky, her expression unreadable, while in the slums of the Orario, a young female Pallum also shared the night, her attention focused on the falling object.

The only person to not enjoy the spectacle was the Courier, who was freaking out as everything around him burned. The glass of the shuttle shattered shortly after it entered the atmosphere, the inside of the vehicle set ablaze, while the human held for his dear life to the door in the back, bracing himself for the impact. Just moments before he hit the ground, he cursed his luck, before there was intense pain and darkness consumed him.

When he awoke, he could feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. His ears were ringing, his body felt like it was used as a punching bag for a legendary deathclaw and his head felt like it was about to burst. With a groan, he opened his bionic eyes, which were linked to the pipboy, allowing him to see his current status. A quick look at his health bar told him everything he needed to know. It was around twenty per cent, meaning he was one foot in the grave. Thankfully, the Monocyte Breeder and Rad Child were already healing the damage and he could see it slowly replenish in front of his very eyes.

From what he could gather, he was still very much alive and the darkness all around his vision was the result of him being pinned down by debris or something along those lines. Turning on the night vision in his eyes, he took a glance at his own body. His left arm was stuck under a pile of metal, alongside both of his legs. The only thing that was not trapped was his right arm. He pushed on with his left arm and the metal barely budged, but just slightly. He began pushing harder, using the hydraulics of the power armour and his kinetic implants to push away the debris, freeing it his arm in the process.

Once that was out of the way, he pushed away a metal plate, located less than twenty centimetres away from his face. The light of the fire and rancid smoke greeted him immediately. The cockpit was gone, leaving almost nothing remotely similar behind. Small fires were burning all over the place, while the air was dark from the sheer amount of smoke. If it wasn't for the filters in his helmet, he would have a hard time leaving the shuttle without suffocating to death. Pushing off the rubble on his legs, he stood up and made his way out of the shuttle through the broken window, falling on top of the burnt-out ground, breathing heavily. Only after calming down a bit, his breathing slowing down, he looked around.

From what he could gather, he landed in the middle of some kind of forest or near one at very least. A massive crater easily over one hundred meters in radius was devoid of all plant life. On the edges of it, he could see green trees and grass all over the place, very reminiscent to that of the Earth. However, that didn't mean air composition wasn't poisonous or there wasn't some kind of parasite that infected human brains floating in it. Luckily for him, the pipboy could analyze all kinds of substances and inform him about its effects. Same thing with air. Running a quick analysis, he noticed that the air composition was almost identical to earth, with the exception of less pollution than in his world. 'This is getting weirder and weirder, what are the odds of the same kind of atmosphere?'

Turning around, he despaired as he took in what remained of the shuttle. It was a burning wreck of bent metal, loose wiring, leaking fluids and the saturnite frame which took the general shape of the shuttle. The material was too expensive to create the whole shuttle from, so it was settled upon to only make the frame, which was the only thing that was still in one piece. He could feel his heartache at the destruction of the invention before he managed to get his bearings together. 'Let's see, I am stranded on some kind of alien world with possibly hostile fauna and flora. My spacecraft is worthless, the best I can do is try to salvage as much as I can and take the rest with me so that nobody does anything with it. And on top of that, I could come across aliens, which won't hesitate to put a probe in my ass. Klein, fuck you, sincerely, Courier Six.'

After calming down a bit, he pulled out his Cryo Revolver, a custom energy weapon that froze anything it hit and was deadly against unarmored targets. In this case, though, it would serve well at putting out all the fires. He got down to work, a single bullet was all it took to put out one of the fires and fifty shoots later, the shuttle was no longer releasing rancid smoke into the air. With that out of the way, he could finally start disassembling the whole thing in order to make sure nobody finds it. However, before that, he had to secure the perimeter. He wasn't going to let some kind of alien eat his brains, while he was busy. So, he set down six holographic emitters on the ground in a hexagon shape around the ship, turning them on and setting them to shoot on sight, if something came within the ten-meter radius of the ship. They used the same Sierra Madre security hologram, but far more advanced and deadly, all thanks to Big Mountain for their assistance on improving it.

With the basics secured, he materialized one of his most powerful weapons, Industrial Hand. It was a tool in the Divide consisting of a mechanical glove with a circular saw blade mounted on the back, used in industrial work for cutting materials such as metal or plastics, now repurposed for use as a powerful unarmed weapon. It was just as good at cutting through power armour as it was through ordinary metals. Now with a saturnite blade, it was basically unstoppable, able to completely ignore any and all kinds of armour. Now though, it would help in cutting the ship apart and leaving nothing behind. 'I hope that I can make it before someone gets here...'

The rest of the day was spent in relative silence, as the Courier slowly but surely took the ship apart, leaving only the frame intact to keep it for the future endeavours. But even then, the ship was massive. It took him about eight hours with the sun even beginning to set and even then, the ship was still only around twenty per cent done at this point. He couldn't finish it in one night, no matter how hard he tried. And he was slowly getting sleepy, his current sleep deprivation hovering at around one hundred fifty of one thousand. 'I should call it a day, for now, being exhausted won't help me in the long run.' With his mind made up, he made his way back to what remained of the cockpit, setting up a Roughin'it bedroll kit on the metal floor and laid on his back, allowing his body to relax and falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**So, here is my take on Danmachi crossover. I liked the premise, the lore, the characters of the franchise and the sheer amount of detail. However, I will admit without beating around the bush, I couldn't and still can't stomach Bell's storyline.**

**Don't get me wrong, he is a good kid and with a personality I can get behind. However, he has got one of the most bullshit deus plot machina in recent memory, Liaris Freese. In the Danmachi setting, levelling up is really bloody hard, as half of the adventurers are still level one despite going through shit on a regular basis. You either need to be suicidal or spend a lot of time practising. Then the author basically said 'fuck it' and gave him ability that makes him level up twelve times faster than the record breaker. Why? In order for him to stay relevant, to be a hero.**

**I am not saying the protagonist can't have broken abilities or be overpowered, just look at the likes of Bleach, One Piece, Fairy Tail. All these have got issues of their own, but there are other bullshit characters with bullshit powers and it's more or less balanced.**

**In Danmachi, Bell gets an unfair advantage that the author insists is fair. It's not. The reason for Bell getting it is also stupid: love. Why just that? What about the likes of Finn, Ais, Bete, literally any adventurer in Orario? They risk their lives, they have got goals, feelings, emotions, why didn't they get the skill? It's so unnecessary.**

**So, here is how this is going to play out. The story will diverge. Maybe not immediately, but it will. Bell WILL NOT get his broken skill, which is where the Courier comes in. And I think you will appreciate him being there. Nothing shakes the balance of power more than a guy who can destroy an entire city or murder everyone in it by himself, without Falna.**

**Also, no pairing in the description. I find it insulting, when the authors tell the ending of the story, before it happens. The journey is far more important than the end goal.**


	2. Chapter 2

A bang of gunfire shattered the silence of Mojave Wasteland, a single headless body falling in front of the dino bite store. Blood, guts and gore falling on top of a man wearing reinforced combat armour. His expression hidden behind a reinforced combat helmet and a surgical mask. Walking up to the corpse of a Jeanne May Crawford, the Courier took everything that seemed valuable, outside of the clothes he had no use for. Standing up, he made his way back to the Dinky the t-rex shop in the middle of the night, walking upstairs to the mouth of the structure.

"That's it then, how did you know?" Boone, a former NCR sniper asked, his expression grim.

"I found this bill of sale in her safe, you should have it," The Courier answered and handed over a sheet of paper. The man in front of him holstered his trusty hunting rifle to his back, before taking the note and reading it. From Courier's point of view, he could see his eyes narrow, the paper crumbling slightly under the pressure before the man released a deep sigh and put the note in the back of his pocket.

"I guess, I shouldn't be surprised. It's like them to keep all the paperwork," He said, before handing over the Courier a bunch of caps. "I think our dealings are done, then."

"I believe so, what do you intend to do now?" He inquired before taking the caps and making them disappear thanks to his pipboy, which made Boone raise his eyebrow slightly.

"I am not sure just yet, maybe I will wander just like you?" He suggested while the Courier smiled slightly in response.

"You will figure it out, I am sure. And if not, who knows we might go against the Legion together?" He countered and the two shared a small chuckle, before saying their goodbyes and going their own way.

* * *

"I haven't had that one in a while," The Courier muttered to himself, before standing up and stretching himself to get all the aches out of the way, his bones popping as he did so.

Sleeping on a hard surface, compared to a bed was something he was used to, especially with his armour on and his weapons ready to be drawn, even though it wasn't the most pleasant experience. Checking his vitals, he was relieved to see that his dehydration level was still rather low, thanks to power armour's recycling system that could turn human waste into water and reduce the amount he needed on a regular basis, which was incredibly useful in all kinds of climates, especially the scorching heat of the Mojave Wasteland. Although, he still needed to bath on a regular basis to prevent infections and diseases, not to mention, to not smell like a brahmin waste when talking to other people.

Now that he thought about it, the last time he had bathed was before he left the Earth's surface. He sniffed the inside of his power armour and winced as the smell of sweat entered his nostrils. To make things worse, he still had to get rid of the biological waste left during the recycling, which is to say his faeces. Going out of the spaceship, he noticed it was still dark, the current time on his pipboy reading 3 AM. It meant that he had slept around three hours, as usual, the result of all the implants and tech in his body. He wasn't sure, how long did the night or day last in this world, but he really hoped it was similar to Earth's day and night cycle. On the upside, the holograms were in the same spots he left them at, so there was that.

So, without wasting any more time, he crouched and began sneaking towards the edge of the crater, Old Glory in both of his hands, ready to strike. However, it seemed this time lady luck was on his side, as nothing jumped at him ready to rip his head off. With a sigh of relief, he materialized a shovel, dug out a hole and took care of all the waste from the recycling system. Once that was done, he took off his armour – standing only in a pair of pants and a ton of bandages that covered every inch of his body, leaving only his green eyes visible. It was something he learnt from Joshua Graham, but instead of wounds that wouldn't heal, he had his own personal reasons for that.

To put simply, he hated his face being seen by other people, it was one of the reasons he hid behind bandages. The second one, the scars he acquired over the years, which he wasn't keen on showing to anyone. One could see his pale complexion, being a proof of using armour on a regular basis to prevent sunburns, stray bullets, and lasers from hurting him. It used to be different, but one did not go through the same crap he went through, without having serious emotional baggage and making enough corpses to fill a small graveyard.

Shaking his head, he took off the used bandages, placed them in a metal pot he had set up, before adding Abraxo and washing them thoroughly – the water turning brown from the sheer amount of dirt and sweat inside them. After that, he pulled out a piece of handmade soap made from brahmin fat and Abraxo cleaner, as well as a bottle of purified water and began to clean himself, making sure to not use more than half of the bottle. Once he was done, he smelt himself and smiled. Hygiene was one of the most important parts of medicine after all.

After that was taken care of, he put the, now clean, bandages back on, before making his way back to the shuttle. He was about to get down to work once again, when he felt his stomach rumble, stopping him in his tracks. He hadn't eaten since yesterday now that he thought of it. Taking off his helmet and putting it upside down, to keep it from getting dirty, he materialized a coyote steak, from his Pipboy, which he bit into like an animal and devoured it with the grace of one. Once he was done with the steak, his belly now satisfied, he put the helmet back on and resumed the process.

The next day and a half were spent disassembling the ship, until there was nothing left, except the crater itself and the skid marks it made on contact. He had to make them disappear, but considering the amount of dirt he would have to shovel to get through, it could take an additional day or more. He weighed his options before he remembered about demolition charges, he found at the Sierra Madre. Putting them along the lines of skid marks, he pulled out MF Hyperbreeder Alpha and fired once, resulting in a chain reaction that destroyed whatever remained of the shape of the impact.

With everything important taken care of, including the holograms, he began his trek across this new alien world, a part of him excited at the prospect. He was the Courier, after all.

* * *

"So, did you find anything?" Hermes, a god with blonde hair and orange eyes asked.

"Not a single thing," Asfi replied, her aqua blue hair blowing in the wind, while her cyan coloured eyes focused on the leader of her Familia.

"Not a single thing, huh? Any idea what it could have been?" He inquired, while the woman shook her head.

"No clue, the only thing we have noticed is that multiple explosions were triggered here quite recently too. Possibly with the use of Kaenseki, dropped by Flame rock. Outside of that, we haven't been able to find a single thing. Whoever came here first, left nothing behind. To top it off, we were the only group sent here from Orario, which means, an outside third party had to come here before us and carried the meteor or whatever it was with them," She explained.

Hermes bit his lip, as he thought of any other Familia that could have made their way here, before them. "Don't suppose they were aliens?"

The glare Asfi gave him told him everything he needed to know. "Very unlikely, considering the knowledge we have got. In any event, it seems this whole expedition was a waste of resources."

That lead to Hermes laughing before he managed to calm down. "You know it was a joke, right, Asfi?" She just glared at him. "Fine, call everyone off. There is nothing left for us, but just in case report it to the guild, could you?" The woman nodded at the order and began to gather the rest of the Familia. Hermes though, was hell-bent on figuring out what really happened and he would not stop until he got the answer.

Somewhere, far away from the group, the Courier sneezed. "Somebody must be talking about me," He muttered, followed swiftly by a chuckle.

Currently, he was heading South, or at least that's what his pipboy told him and so far, he had yet to see another human being or anything outside of some animals like deers, squirrels, birds and so on and so forth. That in itself only reinforced what he suspected, this wasn't Earth, the animals looked normal, without an ounce of mutation on them. He considered hunting them down for food but he decided against it. He had plenty of supplies to spare and didn't want to hunt without knowing it was safe.

For all he knew, there could be aliens, similar to elves, that would gladly murder him for killing an animal. It took another hour or two, before he found himself at a dirt road, the sun at noon. On the right side of it, a single road sign stood written in a language he could not understand for the life of him. It seemed similar to runic at best, but he wasn't certain of that. Definitely not Chinese or English.

Seeing that he had nothing better to do than follow the signs he set off towards the direction it pointed, still suited in Remnants power armour. One thing that he was worried about was the fact, that he didn't know a thing about the technological level of this world. For all he could know they could be somewhere between Renaissance and Neolithic level, considering the lack of lights he saw from the shuttle. Biting his lip, he stopped in the middle of the road, brought up his pipboy and began browsing it in search of three particular items.

Once he found them, he smiled under his helmet and materialized them on himself, while his previous armour and weapons were stored inside the pipboy. The first one was known as Armour of the 87th Tribe, based on the design of Legate Lanius. The second one was the helmet of said Legate, which he took from his corpse after he killed him with the Old Glory. And last but not least, was the Blade of the West, carried by Marked Men from the Divide. Courier Six, Butcher of the West, that has got a nice ring to it.

With his new outfit equipped, he assumed he seemed far less suspicious as he continued his trek towards his destination. The reason he preferred to wear power armour over his current one was simple. Not only did power armour increase his strength, but it also provided waste recycling, which helped conserve his supplies, despite the fact that he had enough water to fill a small well by himself. As he moved forward, he noticed the road descending into a small rocky valley, a perfect place for an ambush. That stopped him in his tracks, as he decided upon the course of action.

The last time, he came across this kind of ambush was close to Nipton. He was lucky back then and decided to go around the hills and managed to get a drop on the bandits, reducing the damage he received. Crouching once again, he began to go around the valley, climbing the rocks surrounding it.

Reaching the peak, he noticed something that caused his jaw to drop a bit. Around the valley, he could see around thirty small green and plump humanoid monsters, dressed in a patchwork fur and wielding rusty daggers and primitive bows. '_Are these supposed to be goblins? Like in those fairy tales?__'_ He had no clue how to react. A small part of him wanted to go to the nearest doctor and see if he was still sane. However, the augmentations in his body prevented fake images, signals, and effects such as frenzy from affecting him. He had no clue what to do, obviously, they were bandits or something along those lines, judging by their position.

However, that didn't mean he could kill them without repercussions. Just as he considered his options, he could see a small caravan heading towards the valley, compromised of what he could see humans. It had a single merchant riding a cart with two horses pulling it, followed by four guards, dressed in what looked like leather medieval armour, stationed at the corners of the vehicle. It seemed like for once, the world decided to throw him a bone. Good thing he had an internal stealth field implant, which was yet another one of Big Mountains many useful inventions.

It allowed him to turn invisible for short periods of time. Unlike the traditional stealthboy, the duration was shorter and it also drained energy from an outside source. Luckily for him, Microfusion Breeder, which he adapted from a recharger pistol served well at keeping it active. One major downside of the implant was stability, which became worse with time, so he only had four minutes at most, before it had to recharge for the next half a minute.

Sneaking up on the goblins, making no sound in the process, he drew his weapon and waited. One minute later, they tensed, drawing their weapons, ready to ambush the caravan. It was time, turning the stealth field off, he swung the oversized sword, hitting three goblins at the same time. The monsters exploded into a pile of guts, blood and gore, their remains falling on the road below, startling the horses and stopping the caravan.

The rest of the twelve goblins on his side panicked, giving him plenty of time to chop them up, one by one. One of the goblins decided to lunge at him, but to the Courier, their movement was as slow as that of a snail. The monsters could not compare to guns and bullets back in his world, which he could dodge to an extent. So, with a practised movement, he stepped back, before delivering a vicious kick to the goblin's torso, blowing its body into pieces and sending its remains to the other side.

Seeing what happened to their brethren, the monsters did the only sensible thing they knew. They took their weapons and run away with a screech. With a smirk on his face, the Courier holstered the sword to his back, which clung to it, despite the lack of the holster itself. One thing he noticed after the fight, was the fact that each of the monsters possessed some kind of gemstones, which upon extraction turned the rest of the body into ash. Whenever he tried to remove a piece of meat, it would turn into ash as soon as it separated from the rest of the body. He really didn't know what to think of it. He considered putting the gemstones back in his pipboy, but using it in front of the people of this world could lead to some uncomfortable questions. So instead, he pulled out a duffel bag, put everything inside it, except all the blood sausages and thin red paste the monsters dropped, before throwing it over his back and sliding down the slope.

The guards had their weapons drawn, mostly spears and swords with shields for additional protection, their attention focused on the man in front of them. Showing he was unarmed, he emptied the contents of the duffel bag on the road in front of him, before pointing towards the slope he came from. That got attention from the group, who turned towards each other and began talking among themselves in an unknown language, before putting their weapons away. The merchant was a fairly old man in his fifties, judging by the greying out hair and a beard of decent size.

"Thank you for helping with the goblins, stranger. They can be a pretty nasty bunch, especially in a group. Is there something I can do to repay you?" He asked while the Courier tried his hardest to figure out what the man just said. Judging by the tone, he didn't seem hostile, but it could mean anything. So instead of making a fool of himself, he pointed at his own throat and shook his head. "...You can't speak?" The Courier shrugged, before turning around and leaving the merchant behind him, waving his hand in the process.

The merchant himself wanted to repay the stranger, especially since he left all the drops of the monster behind, but seeing that the man couldn't speak and his lack of skill in non-verbal communication, there was only one thing he could do. He ordered the guards to gather the drops of the monsters, before spurring the horses and catching up to the Courier, gaining his attention. After that, the merchant took a handful of valis and threw it to the stranger, who caught them in one hand, before nodding towards him and hiding the payment in his duffel bag. With his debt regulated, the merchant let the Courier be and waited for the guards to catch up with him.

The Courier, satisfied with his good deed well done, returned to the task at hand, leaving the merchant to his own problems. This whole encounter taught him a few things. One, the goblins were a threat, two the currency was different from his world and three, the technological level of this world was centuries behind his own. Nobody even had the basic black powder gun, which meant he had a massive advantage when it came to range and firepower. Also, VATS analysed both the goblins and the humans, which he found to be weaker than in his own world.

The armour they possessed wasn't even strong enough to stop the weakest of rounds such as the .22 and their durability was weaker than that of a Radroach. Jogging down the road, he thought of all the possibilities, the things that he could introduce to this world and uproar it would cause if anyone found out. It would be better if he stayed low profile for as long as he could. Still, the technology was not that outdated, they had some basic understanding of metallurgy and the knowledge he possessed would allow him to rebuild the space shuttle given enough time and materials. All he needed to do was to find some major city, start his own business, gain enough money to pay for the materials, a patch of land to build the whole thing at and he would be set.

The next few hours were spent in silence, as the Courier sneaked past all the obvious attempts at the ambush, the Caravan left behind. The monsters certainly didn't possess much in terms of intelligence and hunting them was a bit pointless, since he had no clue what to with materials they dropped. He could probably trade them away, but without the ability to speak or even write, he would be ripped off, taken advantage of or worse. He didn't want to risk it. As the sun began to set, he found himself on a huge plain filled with grass, one major city located behind tall stone walls that could be easily seen from the distance. While on his right, what he presumed was some sort of lake or even sea, with a smaller village located on the coast.

"Sea..." He muttered, as he gazed upon the massive pool of water in the distance. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen the sea, outside of photographs perhaps. Maybe during his travels, but even then, he was not certain. While going and taking a dip into the sea was tempting, he first wanted to get inside the city, learn to speak and then think about some leisure time. Letting out a sigh of pure undiluted disappointment, he began his trek towards the city.

As he got closer, he could see more and more details, most importantly, a giant tower standing in the middle of the city, taller than anything he had ever seen, even taller than Lucky 38, which could be seen from miles away. It was made of stone and somehow was able to stand straight, despite it being physically impossible last he checked. He wasn't an architect, but the strain the floor and the lowest bricks would have to endure meant it couldn't be ordinary stone.

Then there was the fact it was standing perfectly straight, despite all the winds that could cause some serious damage. It seemed like he underestimated the inhabitants of this world if they were able to create a structure of this size. Outside of that, the walls itself were standing at impressive fifty meters tall, making a sneaky entrance to the city very unlikely. Outside of that, he could see multiple gates leading to the city, people pouring through the gates in swarms.

On top of that, many more caravans were heading in and out of the city, the traffic far more intensive than it was a few hours ago. Some even glanced at him, as he moved towards the gates, whispering between each other. It was problematic, but nothing he couldn't handle. As he got closer, one thing became painfully obvious, the gates were checking each of the individuals that passed through them. The person would get into the booth for a short period of time and then enter without a hitch. The ones trying to leave the city took at least twice as long before they were allowed to leave.

He wasn't sure what happened inside the booth, but with his lack of ability to speak, write or even understand their language, getting through official means would probably cause a lot of trouble, assuming they even let him in the first place. So that option was out, but that didn't mean he couldn't enter with the help of the skills and perks he possessed. Finding some way off the main road, he made sure nobody was watching him, before crouching down and turning his stealth field on. With his mind made up, he carefully manoeuvred around the caravans, the guards and all the people in the line, avoiding contact with everyone until he found two guards with halberds blocking the entrance. Fortunately enough, there was a pretty big gap between their weapons, making it easy to get past the guards. Once he was inside, he immediately dove into a side alley, making sure there was nobody in the vicinity.

Only then, he let go off the breath he held, turned off the stealth field before he headed in the opposite direction to the gate. Now that he was inside, he had plenty of things to do, including but not limited to exploring the entirety of the city, finding some kind of book store to steal from, learn the native language of this world and figure out how things worked in this crazy world. For whatever reason, it filled him with excitement, as the last time he went on such a journey was before the second battle for Hoover Dam.

"Some things never change…" The Courier muttered to himself and chuckled.


	3. Chapter 3

Courier Six wasn't an ordinary person, he had been through things that would have left weaker minds mentally broken and scarred for life. Braving Sierra Madre, Big Mountain, the Divide, seeing things that made him question his sanity. But nothing could prepare him for the city of Orario. Walking along one of the streets at night, he could hardly believe his own eyes.

People with animal features like tails and ears on top of their heads, dwarfs, elves, tiny humans that which were too numerous to be a single occurrence of genetic mistake, just to name a few. And hairs, hairs of colours that defied his entire biological and genetic knowledge. The fact that the colours of the irises were just as varied didn't help.

"And here I thought I have seen everything. It's like someone took a fantasy city and made it real," He muttered to himself.

He had no clue how it was possible, to begin with. Back in his world, Supermutans and ghouls were often looked down upon, despite being former humans and less alien than the creatures surrounding him. Heck, the ghouls were often referred to as zombies, while the former suffered attacks from NCR mercenaries. Here though everyone was fine with each other, or at least it seemed that way. No obvious racism could be seen, which was too good to be true, as far as the Courier was concerned.

That wasn't even the oddest thing he had seen so far. The buildings in the city looked new, yet outdated. They looked similar to the ones built at the beginning of eighteen or perhaps nineteen-century brick houses back on Earth. The streets were clean, free of faeces, trash and anything of that sort, which implied active plumbing and some kind of public service. Not to mention street lights very similar to those back on Earth. There were also many different types of buildings, based on different cultures, remarkably similar to the likes of Chinese, Japanese, Western and others, he saw photographs of at old database.

One thing became painfully obvious the more time he spent walking the streets of Orario. The sheer difference between certain individuals was staggering. While most of the ordinary people he saw were weaker than back on Earth, thanks to VATS and Living Anatomy, not even able to take a bullet to the head and not die. There were individuals here and there that could pose a threat. However, most of them still didn't compare to Earth and the things he fought on regular basis like Yao Guais, Deathclaws or just plain old raiders who could take several bullets to the head, before finally going down.

Shaking his head, he focused on his surroundings and noticed that he found himself in more 'fun' part of the city. Everywhere he looked, he could see all kinds of scantily dressed women, with clothing that could barely be called one. The most prominent of the women, being those of tanned carnation, with a simple bra-like loin and pants of similar design, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Most of the customers and tourists were male, with few exceptions, just like in New Vegas. One thing that really stuck out in the district was a huge number of different kinds of buildings, some of which looked like they were taken from many different cultures, which confused him. Then again, this whole city had been nothing but confusing this entire time.

He rolled his eyes at the sheer amount of prostitutes in the area, as he manoeuvred his way through the district, acting confident and uninterested, which worked wonders in Mojave, preventing most of the shady dealers from approaching him. As he walked around the district, he found himself in one of the eastern types of brothels, that made him stop in his tracks.

In front of the facility, a lone female with fox-like ears and tail sat in seiza position. What really stood out among her blonde hair and animal features, were her green eyes and a collar around her neck. The look inside of them was something he had seen before, it was a look of someone who lost all hope and accepted his or her fate. The same kind Joanna had, back in Mojave. Just that made him want to do something, anything, find out what happened. But…, he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to help, he couldn't simply walk up to the girl and ask her a question or two.

Many soldiers would often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after facing the horrors of war and being subjected to the death of their comrades. And that's not taking into account things such as pain, suffering, rape, just to name a few. Corporal Betsy had never asked for being raped by Cook Cook, which made her unstable and she had to go to Doctor Usanagi to get proper treatment. However, the worst feeling, the one that caused the biggest number of PTSD was possessing a gun, yet still not being able to do anything. The feeling of helplessness.

While he was lost in his thoughts, something bumped into him gaining his attention. It was a female of the same tanned complexion he had seen around the district. Her long blue hair reached down her waist, with a single yellow eye being visible. The clothing she wore could barely be called one, as it more resembled underwear, with only transparent like loose fabric around her legs.

Her eyes spread wide open before a small smile appeared on her lips. "Well, what do we have here?" The Courier didn't respond as the female in front of him began eyeing him up, before she took a step forward and wrapped her fingers around his elbow, pulling his body against her and wrapping her other hand around his waist. He knew that tactic, her eyes gazing into the depths of the helmet, trying to appear as attractive as possible.

Unfortunately for the woman, her allure was lost to him, something she couldn't know about. Trying to not hurt the woman, he tried to pull away only to find himself in an iron-like grip, causing him to frown under his helmet. "Easy there," She said, tightening her arms around the Courier. _This is not how I imagined things to go. How strong is she anyway?_

"The crop was pitiful tonight," Another amazon said, as she walked up to the duo.

"Do I smell the blood of a virgin man?" Yet another one added.

"Who's that, Aisha?" The Courier heard and sweatdropped at all the Amazons surrounding him. There were at least ten of them here, each of them scantily clad women coming their way.

"Found him right here, pretty impressive frame, not much of a talker," The woman said.

"Never seen armour like this, but it looks expensive, probably level three adventurer, perhaps higher," One of them said.

At this rate, he was surrounded, like a part of fresh meat, thrown into the den of hungry wolves. He had no clue what was the woman trying to do, but seeing she had no intention of letting go, he began weighing his options. The looks that were sent his way were more than enough to make him wary of the women around him. This wasn't normal, no prostitute back in his world would force him into position like this. He had a nasty suspicion that if he didn't do something, they were going to either rape him or do something worse.

Apologizing silently to the woman latched on to him, he turned towards her, grabbed her with his free arm, gaining the attention of the rest of the group. "Oh, it seems like you want it after all," She teased, smiling at him. He ignored her words and with one swift movement hurled the woman over his shoulder, breaking the embrace and sending her ten feet into the air with a yelp.

To her credit, after being tossed, she managed to land gracefully on her legs, without any injuries. That seemed to have caused a jolt around the group, as they looked at him like he just murdered a puppy or something along those lines.

"Did he just… toss Aisha into the air?" One of them asked while the rest nodded.

"That means he is strong, at least level three, it would be a waste to let him go," Another one said, the group surrounding him.

"And I haven't heard of anyone with an armour like this, which means, he is not related either to Loki or Freya," As yet another one added.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the rest of the street was doing it's best to evacuate, leaving him surrounded by the women, which gaze sent shivers down his spine. It's not like he couldn't fight them off or even kill them, but looking around told him a few things. One, this was considered normal enough as no guards came to his help, two the people leaving the streets and three, the women were working together judging by their coordination. So, he was fucked, again.

Back on Earth, he could easily go toe to toe with legendary Deathclaw and win, barehanded. Not to mention destroying Deathclaw Promontory, legendary Bloatfly or just straight out one-hit killing X-42 Giant Robo Scorpion with Old Glory. In fact, he got so strong, it was hard to even find a proper challenge. Most of the time he used MF Hyperbreeder Alpha to save ammo, as it was more than enough to deal with the vast majority of the things he came across. Not that he minded, overkill never hurt him back on Earth.

So in a way, it was a good thing, that it wasn't the first time, he found himself in a situation like this or he might have panicked a bit more. Instead, before any of the women had time to react, he crouched and with the strength of his muscles jumped high into the air, landing on the roof of a three-story building, earning shouts of surprise and shock from below. He began running, intent on getting away from the women. The Courier glanced behind himself, not able to believe his own eyes, as the women easily cleared the height of the building and were running far faster than he had expected.

In fact, judging by their movement and his own, the women had to run at least sixty miles per hour, probably faster as he was low balling the number. When he first came to this world, he expected people to be weaker, slower and less dangerous, not the opposite. Heck, the people in his world were ridiculous, but this was just insane. It's like some deity in the sky decided to make his life miserable at every opportunity.

Biting his lip, he focused on his survival, jumping onto another building, doing his best to stay ahead of the group, holding back his full strength in case things got even worse. And just as he expected, things quickly began spinning out of control, as more Amazons joined the chase, often getting ahead and forcing him to change direction, jump past, roll or dodge their attempts to either grab him or hit him. The cries from below sounding like encouragement and even instructions. _Don't tell me! _His gaze switched to the streets below and his blood froze as the prostitutes in windows pointed in his direction, while shouting.

The whole district was against him and unless he managed to get away from them, they wouldn't let him go. Glancing behind, he noticed the one who started it all was slowly catching up to him. Then he saw two Amazons jumping towards him and he activated VATS.

Time stopped in its tracks, allowing him to take in everything happening around him. It was a miraculous technology but came at a price and with its own set of limitations. However, when it came to choosing the best target or the body part of his enemy, it helped more than once. Behind him, he could see Aisha and other ten Amazons high on his tail, on the streets below he could see more waiting for him, while the ones in front were getting into position to strike him into two separate spots at the same time, both legs and head to force him into choosing one of the injuries.

He looked further and could see a small valley just behind the Amazons, between the buildings. It wasn't much, but it should be enough, all he had to do is break the line of sight for a second. Preparing himself mentally, he turned off the VATS and activated bullet time. Time slowed down, everything appearing two times slower than before, while his speed remained the same, thanks to kinetic implants installed in his body. The downside, it used his action points that VATS also used. The Courier jumped between their attacks, diving deep into the valley right into the crouching position, breaking the line of sight and making him hidden from their eyes.

That's when he turned the stealth field on, before booking it out of the valley as fast as he could. He wasn't safe, nowhere near that, but unless the enemy bumped into him, they wouldn't be able to find him. He only managed to move ten meters away, before one of the Amazons from the streets stood at the entrance of the alley, searching for him. Shortly after the rest of the group joined, landing into the valley, their eyes scanning the environment, while the Courier hugged the wall, not daring to move an inch.

"What happened? Where did he go?" One of the Amazons asked, her expression furious.

"I don't know, I saw him jumping into the alley, but he wasn't there when I got there," The one from the entrance explained, searching for any kind of movement in the valley.

The one who was taking it the worst was his captor, her fists clenched and her only visible eyes narrowed in what he presumed was a fury.

"Then where did he go? He couldn't have disappeared," Aisha asked, her eyes searching the valley, glancing over the Courier but not seeing him. _Please, go away, go away, go away…_ The Courier was sweating as the Amazons looked around furiously.

"I don't know, but the longer we stay here, the smaller our chances are of finding him. You have seen his speed and acrobatic ability. There's no way, he is less than level three and that's an understatement. That last burst of speed was a proof of that," Samira, one of the Amazons explained, while the Amazons nodded grudgingly.

"Fine, everyone split up, he couldn't have gone far, we will find him one way or another," Aisha said before every Amazon nodded and left the valley, leaving the Courier alone with his thoughts.

"What the fuck just happened…?" He muttered to himself, the stealth field no longer active, it's stability orbiting around eighty per cent.

He wanted to leave, but they wouldn't let him and when he forced her off himself, it's like he triggered a hornet's nest. Whatever the reason was, he was not coming here anytime soon, it was simply too dangerous. Also, he was going to avoid every single one of them, if possible, never bumping into one, talking to one or getting anywhere near one. Pulling up his pipboy, which had no satellite access, but the automapping feature still worked, he put a marker on the map and named it 'Stay away, crazy women here', before putting it away.

"That's enough of excitement for one day," He said to nobody in particular before turning invisible and making his way out of the district.

* * *

As he moved through the streets of Orario at night, he realized he hadn't slept since he left the space shuttle. From what he could gather, this world had the same time scale as the Earth, which meant, it was almost three in the morning. He could go on without sleep for longer periods of time, but he preferred not to since it affected his performance in the long run. As he looked around, he noticed a church that looked like it had seen better days.

It was made completely out of stone, with several windows, filled with broken mosaic and a statue of some kind of goddess in the back. However, the building itself looked abandoned, the roof partially collapsed, that statue missing fairly big chunks of it and a small pile of rubble on the floor. It wasn't much of a hotel, but he had seen worse or just straight out sleep in the middle of the desert with a gun under his pillow.

Deciding that it was more than enough, he made his way inside, before looking for way upstairs. That way, he could watch the entrance and not be trapped in some kind of basement, if it had one. Luckily, lady luck was on his side, as a small wooden ladder led upstairs to partially collapsed attic.

It was devoid of furniture, with holes in the floor and the roof itself, but it seemed stable enough for a temporary base of operations. So, without wasting any more time, he set up his sleeping kit on the floor then made his way downstairs, before setting up a very simple alarm system consisting of wire and several tin cans connected with each other. That way, if someone decided to ambush him, they would alert him of his presence. The number of times he fell for similar things, but far more deadly was too great for his liking. With his camp set up, he made his way into the sleeping bag, before closing his eyes and falling asleep in an instant.

* * *

Rays of sunlight greeted him, each of them falling through the cracks in the rooftop. A quick look at his HUD told him it was already six am, which meant he once again slept for three hours, enough to get rid of all the sleep deprivation he accumulated yesterday. With a groan, he made his way out of the bed, stretching himself in the process.

He still had trouble believing what transpired yesterday, with him easily getting inside the city only to be chased around by barely modest women across the district, yet it wasn't even top ten of the weirdest things that he had ever seen or been a part of. Shaking his head, he dematerialized the sleeping kit and descended the ladder, the traps untouched.

Now that he was inside the city, his number one priority was to find a book store and learn to read and hopefully not get chased again. With his mind made up, he walked out of the church right into the crowded streets of the city. Unlike yesterday, when the traffic was fairly reduced due to the time of his arrival, today it seemed like every single living thing in existence decided to say hello.

The streets were crowded to the brim, with people and other beings going their own way, chatting, selling merchandise on wooden carts or heading towards the giant tower in the middle of a city, fully dressed up in armour. And just like the last time, his armour brought the attention of quite a few, but thankfully enough, most of them simply looked at him, gave him a quick glance before returning back to their business.

As he walked around, he listened to the chatter and became even more confused as a result. Their language was so much different, it made talking with tribes at Zion look easy. If there was any consolation in this whole situation was the fact that his armour didn't bring nearly as much attention as he thought it might.

Then suddenly on his right, he noticed what looked like a book store. It had a simple one-way door, with glass on the upper side, big windows with books neatly arranged behind them and a sign of a book hanging at the top. The Courier's lips turned into a smile before he remembered he had no money, outside of what that merchant threw him, which he didn't know the value of.

Appearing uninterested, he walked up to the front and took a look at the merchandise. Underneath each of them, he could see the price tag, but the writing was so alien, he couldn't as much as guess how much it meant. With a sigh, he used his HUD and connection to the pipboy to add a waypoint, before turning around and leaving towards the tower in the middle of the city.

That's where the majority of the armoured people headed for anyway. He was curious, did that tower lead to Heaven or something? That wouldn't explain why they needed all that armour though. The plaza surrounding the tower was quite a sight, easily capable of letting hundreds of beings move around freely. People and other creatures were talking between each other, discussing, laughing or going and out of the tower.

As he moved towards the entrance, he noticed a small group of four men followed by a single tiny female with an oversized backpack, her auburn hair poking out of beneath her hood. They passed each other and he could have sworn the woman glanced at him, before following the men in front of her. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about this whole situation but decided not to get involved, not without good reason that is, like money or puppies.

He might have been a mercenary and stuck to the rules of ones, but that didn't mean he never broke them. He still had to keep his appearances though, otherwise, people would beg for him to do their chores for free or just not pay him, because that's what 'heroes' could. He almost spat at the notion of being called one. He was no hero, never was and probably never will.

Sighing, he entered the tower and could feel his jaw drop, his eyes spread wide open. There was a massive hole with a set of a staircase on the edge that led down below to what he presumed was some kind of cave. Those 'prospectors' in armour, he decided to call them that way, entered the cave with fairly small backpacks while leaving seemingly full of loot.

It reminded him of the mines back in Mojave where the deeper you went, the better the loot was. However, that didn't explain the sheer number of beings going inside and out, nor their equipment meant for a fight. In fact, to him, it didn't make any sense. If it was a mine, there would be miners going in, not prospectors. And then there was this whole city, build around the damn thing. _What is this thing anyway?_

He wanted to go downstairs, to see what was waiting below, but he decided against it. As much as he wanted to do so, he had certain priorities and rushing in without any kind of plan or knowledge could spell his doom. For all he knew, there could be monsters, traps and things more deadly than back on Earth. His modus operandi in these kinds of circumstances was simple: Never underestimate your opponent.

He had plenty of time left, not to mention, he still had to earn enough money to rebuild the space shuttle or the time needed to recreate almost every single component from scratch. Turning away, he began walking around the city, making notes of buildings that caught his attention, like a castle from medieval fantasy, pharmacies, markets, etc. He avoided the district where the crazy women were and stayed clear of the Amazons he saw on the streets, he decided to call them like this, considering their sheer strength and the way the acted towards him.

During the walk, he also drank some water and ate some of his supplies, while avoiding anyone seeing it appear from thin air, using his duffel bag as a way to pull it out without drawing anyone's attention. He also found out there were public toilets strewn around the city, free of charge, a boon unlike any other. There was nothing worse than running out of paper and water in the middle of the desert.

It was only when the sun began to set he decided to go for the goal he set up. The bookshop had still some lights on, but nothing prevented him from looking for an alternate way in. Navigating his way around the shop, he found the back entrance, in the street behind it. Making sure there was nobody left in the valley, he crouched, turned the stealth field on and walked up to the door, before pulling one of his many lockpicks and a screwdriver. With a practised movement, the door clicked open, before he gently pulled it open, making sure it didn't creak before he closed the door behind himself and locked it behind

The room he was located in looked like some kind of storage, with spare books hidden in boxes and such. The scent of books and ink-filled the air. There were no traps in the back, so he moved forward and peeked around the corner. There he noticed what he presumed had to be the owner pulling the shutters down. The owner was an older woman, past her prime, but not obese and one could see remnants of her past in her frame. Only when he saw the woman walk up the stairs to what he presumed was a bedroom, he turned off the stealth field.

Waiting a few more minutes to make sure she wouldn't come down, he began silently sneaking through the store, looking for books meant for kids, hopefully with lots of pictures and such. Looking at the cover was not enough though, so he had to manually pull one out, check it out then put it back. The whole process was pretty simple, but the sheer number of books meant that he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Only after what seemed like two hours, he finally found three books that looked specifically designed for the children. They were pretty long, with pictures of objects, animals and with written words beneath them. As compensation he put the money he received on the table, making sure to not leave any of the fingerprints on them. Who knew, maybe this world also had magic, that could find someone with a strand of their hair, but so far, he had yet to see it. It didn't sit well with him to steal from others, especially if it was an honest merchant, not a powder ganger, but if he didn't do that, he never would have gotten his hands on things like Big Boomer or La Longue Carbine.

Leaving through the same way he entered, he made his way back to the church, acting normal on his way back. Only when he was back at the camp, he materialized one of the books from thin air, sat against one of the walls, bringing up a clipboard, a pencil and some blank books for notes, before he got down to work.

* * *

The next three hours were spent in complete silence, as the Courier made notes, forming a few ideas on their language. While it was true the writing here was different from his world, he found certain similarities. For instance, the words were made out of a set of around twenty-something signs, similar to English. He also found out how to spell things like a cat, food, water, ocean, etc. The basics of it.

It wasn't much, but it was a start. It definitely beat going around blindly and bashing his head against the wall, hoping the enlightenment would come. Still, even if he learned how to read, he had to learn how to speak, before he would be able to make any real progress. It was hard to eavesdrop when you couldn't understand anything.

Those three books were a good starting point, but sooner or later, he would be forced to steal some of the books with more advanced words and grammar in order to progress. He definitely wasn't looking forward to sneaking in the same place twice or more. As he progressed through the book, he found himself scratching his eyes and blinking to make the feeling go away.

Only then he realized the sun was slowly rising, the first rays coming through the rooftop. A glance at his current status told him everything he needed to know. He was getting tired, this entire day was spent exploring the city and learning to write their language. In fact, he hadn't done anything pleasant or relaxing.

It was one of the many faults he had, he was a workaholic, going around the Mojave desert, talking to people, taking on quests, exploring, fighting, running for his life and such. Heck, even when he managed to take over New Vegas, he spent most of his time running the damn thing, dealing with nuisances and helping Think Tank develop technologies beneficial to mankind.

It also meant, that making friends or just straight out enjoying himself he considered an utter waste of time, not that his past experiences helped in the matter. He had issues, didn't he? With a sigh, he dematerialized the books, before he set up his sleeping bag once again, climbed right into and let his body fall asleep.

* * *

Waking up alone once again, he groaned, while stretching himself up. A small part of him wanted to explore the city, but he still had to learn how to read and write. Once he could do that, things would become much easier, simply due to the fact, he could write his questions and answers, instead of trying to guess what other means with hand signs or something along those lines.

This, in turn, became a pattern, he would read all the day, making notes, practising writing and reading, only making short breaks for a meal and to take care of his biological needs. This lasted until he finally read through all the books, which took him almost a week. At this point, he decided to pay a visit to the book store once again, return the books he stole and get new ones in their place.

The sun was slowly setting down, giving him plenty of time to reach the nearby book store, but then he remembered a certain market he saw when he first explored the city. It would be a good test run for his newfound knowledge. The walk only took a couple of minutes, before he found himself surrounded by the merchandise. There were dozens of stands, each one selling something a little bit different.

He could see glass bottles, filled with some kind of liquid of different colours, throwing knives, some kind of bombs, different kinds of bags, ready to eat rations, like dried meat and fruits. Things that were meant for an expedition. While he couldn't recognize most of the things on display, he was able to read the names of food and drinks like water, lemonade, tea, jerky, etc.

It wasn't much, but it left him feeling far happier than five minutes ago. He made some decent progress and was slowly gaining an understanding of this world. He wished, he could just learn some translation spell or maybe a book that would do it for him, not that it would happen.

Leaving the market behind him, he made his way back to the book store and once again sneaked in from behind. However, the door was locked, luckily the owner didn't change the locks, making it easy to pick once again. Finding himself in the familiar shop, he made sure the owner was once again absent, before gently putting the books he stole back on the counter.

He considered attaching a short note with an apology, but decided against it and spent the next hour searching for more advanced books. Fortunately, last time he was here he recalled there being books like this not far from the ones he stole. Only after finding them, he once again left, making sure to not leave anything that could be traced back to him.

Once he found himself back in the attic, he settled down, before getting down to work. The books were more advanced than the previous ones, going more into depth and with a lot more grammar and proper punctuation being the highlights, not to mention vastly expanded vocabulary. Still, he could slowly see the pattern and with enough time, he shouldn't have any more trouble reading and writing in the damn thing.

* * *

The same pattern as the last time was established, but this time, he needed over three weeks to get through the books, which despite his high intelligence, proved to be a problem more than once. He struggled to understand what was the task the book required him to do, often forcing him to check the back of it for the answers.

During that time, a small girl with breasts that were too big for her small frame moved into a small basement, not far from the attic. Luckily for him, she wasn't interested in exploring it. She would go into the city at dawn and come back just as the sun was about to set. She wasn't a threat though, as the VATS showed her to be weak as most of the people in the city.

Two weeks after he began his current books, a boy with white hair and red eyes moved in with her and for some reason, the first thing he thought when he saw the young man was a rabbit. After that, the boy, would go out on his own to the city and come back late, with pouches filled with money called Valis, as he found out. Avoiding them was easy enough, as they completely ignored the attic, probably thinking there was nothing of value in it.

The most important thing he got out of the books, was the general understanding of the world. The city he was located in was called Orario and it was built over a massive dungeon, that spanned dozens of floors below the surface, each one bigger than the previous one. The tower that was built over the entrance was called Babel, while the people who went inside were called adventurers, that went there to fight monsters and earn money, by extracting the same purple gemstones he first found on the monsters, he now knew were called goblins.

That wasn't even the most important thing though, the gods were real in this world, that's what shook him the most. The gods came down to this planet's surface and offered their blessing, called Falna to the adventurers, which allowed them to become stronger, learn new skills and level up. That, in turn, explained the massive disproportion between ordinary people and so-called adventurers that he saw before when he was being chased by the woman, known as Amazons.

The idea of a god or a goddess being someone he had to rely on, work with, be good for to become stronger was disgusting to put mildly. The very idea of it was abhorrent to the Courier. _The gods didn't care when the Great War happened, they didn't care when seven billion people died in a war that lasted a total of two hours and now they were here?!_

He wanted to crush the book in his hands, making small imprints, before he managed to calm down and put it away. He didn't know how did the gods act, nor did he care. All he knew was that he wanted nothing to do with them. Everything he accomplished was the result of his own blood, sweat, and tears. He was shot, stabbed, blasted with lasers, plasma, missiles, grenades among many others. Not to mention lobotomized against his own will, filled with multiple powerful implants and his body enchanted with powerful perks like Rad Child, Solar Powered and such.

These adventurers might have risked their lives when going to the Dungeon, but they didn't have to survive Deathclaws, Cazadors, Nightstalker or bandits on a regular basis. Their world wasn't destroyed and filled with radiation, invaded by a bunch of slaving marauders or harassed by a bunch of stuck up assholes in power armour. He wanted to be angry, wanted to lash out at something, anything, but… he couldn't.

There was no point in doing so anyway. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he let his mind calm down as he considered his circumstances. The gods created groups known as Familia, which made the Courier snort in response._ Familia? More like willing slavery, if you ask me._ These groups would try to look for powerful members to add to their groups, which made him a potential target. So, to avoid that, he had to brave the Dungeon by himself and the monsters contained within.

To do so, he had to register at the guild, because otherwise it would be deemed illegal and cause negative consequences. Bringing up his pipboy, he noticed the clock was about to reach eight AM, which was quite late honestly. Still, it would be more than enough, so he stood up, packed up his entire gear and left, avoiding the other inhabitants of the church and setting out for the Guild, which he found the last time he explored the city. That's where many adventurers went anyway.

* * *

The goddess Freya was bored as she gazed upon on the city of Orario from the top of the Babel, a small glass of wine located in her left hand. She was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, even in Heaven. Her charm leaving men and women speechless, not able to respond. Her long silver hair, reaching down to her waist, along with her silver eyes, skin white as fresh snow and a perfect golden ratio, so much so, one would think it originated from her.

While most of the time she spent in the Babel gazing upon the city of Orario, even she liked to have fun every now and then. At times like this, she enjoyed putting on a cloak, sneaking out of the Babel and going around the Orario, sitting in a cafe and watching the adventures go past her, watching the adventures and their souls. It was an ability unique to her, which allowed her to see the colour and brilliance of souls, allowing her to estimate the strength of an adventurer.

With a small smile on her lips, she put on the cloak, letting the Ottar know she was leaving for a bit, before making it down into the crowds of Orario. As she walked down the streets, heading in the direction of Hostess of Fertility, navigating through the crowd with practised ease, avoiding bumping into anyone.

That's how it usually went, before a man with a soul that she had never seen before distracted her, which in turn lead to her bumping into him and falling onto her rump. The hood fell backwards, her face exposed. Every single person in their tracks as the gazed upon the goddess, the silence almost thick enough to cut through with a knife. The only exception was the man himself, who knelt in front of her and offered his hand. She gracefully took it and let herself be pulled up, putting on the hood once again.

She didn't expect that, as most people would be charmed, not able to do anything but blink in front of her beauty. This man, however, was unaffected, making sure she wasn't injured, his gaze looking over her. Unfortunately, the people were still staring and she had to disappear, otherwise, it could cause a commotion, which she didn't want. Before she could do that though, the man turned towards the rest of the crowd and growled.

What happened next, made her yelp as a figure of dark and powerful beast manifested itself behind his back, a pair of razor-sharp claws and blood-red eyes, covered in thick scales. The crowd jumped back, some even drawing their weapons, before it disappeared just as quickly as it came, the crowd shaken and doing it's best to leave as soon as they could.

The image itself shook the very being of the goddess, her heart racing, turning hot from the inside. It was engraved in her mind, along with the beauty of his soul. It was different, with two different colours inside it. The first one was red, like blood, covering most of his soul, like a scent that could never be washed away. The second one was grey, the purest form of grey she had ever seen in her entire life.

She blinked her eyes, as the man turned towards her, nodded and started walking away. It felt like her heart was about to jump out from her chest. If she let him go, she would lose her only chance, that's what she felt. Almost losing her composure, she grabbed the man by his arm and asked, "Name… what is your name?"

It came out sounding like a desperate plea, the man turning his attention towards her. She was waiting, her heart beating against her chest before the man turned towards her and put his bag on the ground, forcing her to let go. He then pulled out a clipboard and a pencil, before writing down a single sentence.

"I can't understand you, please, write it down," He wrote, before handing over the utensils. Her hand shook before she managed to calm down enough to write her question down.

Once he saw the question, he responded and wrote, "I am known as Courier Six. Are you all right? Do you need any help?"

She almost spoke out, before reminding herself, he wouldn't understand her. Taking in the clipboard again, her hand brushing against his armour, she wrote, "No, I am fine. Thank you for your concern, mister Six." Before she had corrected her posture and smiled at him.

Satisfied, the man put away the utensils, before nodding, turning away and leaving the goddess alone in the streets. She had fallen many times in love with her children and adventurers, yet for the first time in her life, the goddess of love and beauty had been charmed.


	4. Chapter 4

"What an odd woman," The Courier muttered to himself, leaving the silver-haired beauty behind him. _Was that a goddess just now? Nah, no way in hell. She was as strong as human and I doubt gods are that weak, then again, the books didn't specify how did the gods act or look only tha__t__ they descended from Heaven. __Still, it was probably some kind of magic, that's the only explanation that makes sense to me._

The way people looked at the woman back then sent alarm bells in his head. They looked like they were ready to jump her and rape her right there and then. It wasn't the first time he saw something similar back in Mojave, so he did the only thing that he could at the time. He scared the life out of them. Terrifying Presence was something he didn't use that much due to a simple fact that there was no reason to do so. Instead of trying to intimidate opponents, it was much easier to simply blow their brains out or just turn them into a pile of goo with plasma caster.

Having said that, the look of utter terror on his victims was well worth it, not to mention it was enough to send even experienced NCR rangers running for their lives. It was also a pretty good way of distracting his opponents and making them pause. That time when Jaun Baptiste threatened to kill Cass, he gave him one warning and the man backed off, looking like he was about to piss himself.

With a chuckle, the Courier headed towards the Guild, hoping to finally start earning money to rebuild his space shuttle and go back home. There were things to do, bandits to kill, nation to run, not indulge gods with his epic tales of survival. The entrance to the guild was guarded by a pair of massive wooden doors, fully open to the public, the building the colour of white paint. It was at least three stories tall and looked like some kind of manor from the outside.

Heading inside, he noticed a long counter, where many employees were dealing with other adventurers. As he pondered upon his next move, he noticed a woman waving towards him, speaking something in their language. Seeing no better solution, he walked up to her, his armour drawing the glances of nearby adventurers.

The woman in question had long pointy ears akin, similar to the elves he saw before, though a bit shorter than average. Her brown hair reached to her shoulders, while her emerald-coloured eyes were a sight to behold. A very attractive woman in her own right. She smiled at him, before she began to speak, "Good morning, is there something I can help you with?"

And just like the last time, the Courier had to put his bag on the ground, pull out his utensils and write what he wanted from the Guild. "I would like to register as adventurer, miss…?" He wrote and handed over the clipboard with a pencil. The pencil itself making her frown, as she had never seen anything like it before. It left no ink spots and was much less cumbersome than a quill, which would greatly help in her line of work.

Eina was surprised by, to say the least. A man, who couldn't speak and instead communicated via a sheet of paper was not something she expected to see in her life. Still, she could work with that and quickly wrote down the answer. "I am Eina Tulle, a receptionist here at the guild. If you want to explore the Dungeon you have to fill out this form, with your full name, your current Familia and your age."

He looked at the answer and bit his lip, before writing down 'Courier Six', twenty-eight and crossing the Familia from the form, before handing it over. She looked over the form and frowned, wanting to ask a question or two, before she reminded herself she had to write it down first. "Is that your true name? And why did you cross out Familia from the sheet? Do you wish to explore the Dungeon by yourself? Also, I hope you don't mind me asking, but can you not speak?"

She had to be sure, while the Courier wrote the answers down and handed over the clipboard once again. "The name I wrote is what people know me as, I do have a real name, but I do not wish to share it, nor do I wish to join any Familia in any foreseeable future. If possible, I would like to explore the Dungeon using my own strength and skills. And to answer your question, I can speak, but not the language everyone in Orario uses. Back where I come from nobody spoke it, so I can only read and write. Is that a problem, miss Tulle?"

She bit her lip, while she tried to figure out what to write before she made up her mind. "I see… Under normal circumstances, the adventurers are not allowed to enter without god's blessing. However, there have been similar cases, most of which decide to join Familia, not able to progress past floor five. In that case, the adventurers are checked for Falna to make sure they do not avoid any taxes. They also have to surrender ten per cent of their profits to the Guild when they decide to sell what they find at the Dungeon to the Guild. I will also have to check your status to make sure, you aren't one of wanted adventurers that have caused troubles in the past."

"I see, regardless of the fact, I still wish to explore the Dungeon without Falna and I am willing to sign an agreement with the Guild to make it possible," He responded.

Seeing the man was adamant, she gestured him to follow her, leading him to a small area where adventurers could converse with their advisors in private. The man following close behind her, making little to no sound, which unnerved her to an extent. There was also the fact, that the sword clung to his back, despite there being no obvious harness.

The two sat down in small green puffs opposite to each other before Eina took the clipboard once again and began writing. "First of all, I need you to show me your back. I have to make sure you are not lying when it comes to the Falna, after that the Guild can sign the contract."

He nodded at the request before he put both the bag and the weapon on the floor and then began taking the armour off piece by piece, leaving only the trousers and the helmet on. What she didn't expect was the sheer number of bandages that covered the Courier's body, which she found unusual. It was also a bit embarrassing, but she decided to bury her feelings for now.

The man then turned around and began taking off the bandages, making sure she wouldn't be able to see anything more than his back. As he progressed, the half-elf became more and more astonished, her eyes spread wide open, the mouth forming in a shape of an o. Only when he took the last of the bandages, all she could feel was a complete and utter shock at the sheer amount of scars covering the man's body.

Everywhere she looked, she could see scars of varying shapes and sizes. Some looked like they were made by tiny balls or something similar, some looked like somebody poured molten lava on top of the man's skin, but nothing could compare to the giant scar in the middle of his back. It looked like it was made by a dragon, three vicious claw marks spanning from waist to the base of the neck. However, beneath all that scar tissue, she could see muscles honed by experience, similar to that of a statue.

She found herself blushing and had to cough to regain her composure. There was no sign of Falna, as far as she could tell, but it could be locked, which made it invisible from prying eyes. It was a technique used by the gods to prevent the status of their adventurers from being read by other Familias. In cases like this, the guild used a lantern-like prop that revealed the existence of Falna. It prevented spies from entering the city but it also allowed to check the status of the adventurer.

She used the prop and frowned, the object showing not a sign of Falna. Eina was astonished, to say the least, this amount of scars wasn't normal, especially without Falna, yet it was in front of her very eyes. However, it was true, the man possessed no Falna to speak of. Taking in the clipboard, she wrote, "You can dress up now."

The man nodded, put the bandages back on, before doing the same with his armour. Once he was fully dressed, his attention turned towards the half-Elf. "Is it done?"

"Yes, it's been confirmed that you possess no Falna. From now on, you are free to venture into the Dungeon. The Guild will be informed of your circumstances and you will receive a special badge to easily confirm or deny your identity," She answered, before filling all the necessary forms and handing out a metal badge with insignia of the Guild to the Courier. "There is only one thing left. Under normal circumstances, the Guild provides basic sword and armour to new adventurers, but I don't think it will be necessary in your case. You also gain access to your own personal advisor, if you wish."

"Personal advisor?" He asked, confused by the term.

"A personal advisor is a person designated by Guild that assists an adventurer when they decide to explore the Dungeon. Their main purpose is to provide basic knowledge of the Dungeon, prevent unnecessary deaths and guide them as they descend deeper into the Dungeon, warning them of any potential threats," She explained.

"I see before I decide upon the advisor, I would like to ask you a couple of questions if you don't mind?" He asked while Eina nodded in response. "First of all, I would like to know if you know anyone willing to teach me how to speak in exchange for Valis? Secondly, where can I buy weapons and armour? Third, is there any nearby inn that you would recommend? And last, but not least, I would like to request a set of posters or pictures with gods that have formed Familia so far and operate currently in Orario. And when it comes to a personal advisor, I would be more than happy to accept your proposal."

Eina blinked at the last request, since the man just wrote he wasn't interested in joining the Familia, but came to the conclusion he most likely wanted to avoid them. "Very well, first of all, your personal advisor could do that, but if you are in a hurry, there is a book store on the main street. The owner there is kind and if you explain your situation, she will gladly help you. Weapons and armour can be found at Babel starting from the fourth floor. The Hostess of Fertility provides housing, they are fairly expensive though, two thousand Valis a day. About the Familias and gods in Orario, it will take a while, but in the next few days, I should be able to make a full list."

"Very well, thank you for patience, miss Tule. I appreciate it," He responded and nodded as a sign of gratitude.

"That's what I am here for after all… Oh, one last thing. When it comes to your advisor, do you have any preference, like humans, elves and such?" She asked while the Courier cupped his chin in response.

"I do not have any real preference, but if possible, I would prefer my advisor to be female," He answered, while Eina nodded with a smile.

"That's all I wanted to know. In any event, that should be the basis of it, I would recommend you wait for your advisor, before heading to the Dungeon. The adventurers should not venture," She wrote, underlining the last part.

Reading this, the Courier chuckled, before he nodded at the request. Once everything was settled, the duo bid their goodbyes, the Courier leaving the guild, waving at Eina in the process.

"So, how did it go?" Misha Floot asked Eina's co-worker with pink hair and eyes of the same colour.

"It went well enough, he can't speak, so we had to exchange notes all the time," She explained, while Misha smiled at the response.

"Exchanging notes so soon? It seems I misjudged you after all," She teased, while Eina rolled her eyes, already used to the teasing of her co-worker.

* * *

Outside the guild, the Courier looked at the silver badge he received, before hiding it inside his pipboy and heading towards the Dungeon. As much as he wanted to wait for his advisor, he decided to see, just how strong the monsters were. Besides, he had already seen some powerful individuals and he was pretty sure they fought the monsters before, which meant, he should be able to handle himself just fine.

As he walked towards the Babel, the streets as busy as always, he found himself getting excited at the prospect. He was getting himself into trouble, one he wasn't prepared for, one he didn't know much about, just like the old times. He missed those, things were simple back then, Mojave was just a landscape he travelled and the NCR and Legion were duking it out at the battle for Hoover Dam.

With a shake of his head, he entered the tower and began descending into the Dungeon, step by step, until he finally arrived at the end of the staircase. The first thing he saw was a hallway, wide enough to easily allow passage for a small army, illuminated by the light blue coloured walls. _So, that's why they do not take torches or use magic to navigate the Dungeon. __This reminds me of the Vaults back in Mojave, with less spore carrier infestation. _With a smirk on his face, he began traversing the Dungeon, earning an occasional glance or two, alongside the whisper from less armoured adventurers.

"Who is that guy?" One of them asked, eyeing the equipment on the Courier.

"Don't know, never seen him before, but the armour looks expensive. Either he is some kind of noble or first-class adventurer," Another one responded.

The envy in their eyes couldn't get more obvious, but he was used to it. It wasn't the first time some stupid thugs tried to mug him, even when he was fully dressed up in a suit of power armour and wielding a plasma caster. The stupidity they exhibited was enough to make him lose any remnants of respect towards humanity. If there was one thing without end, it was human stupidity.

One thing became obvious, as he progressed along the path. He couldn't keep walking forward forever, the path diverging in front of him. Since he had no clue, which way to go, he took the one on his right and began walking around. Oddly enough there were fewer adventurers here than on what he presumed was the main path. Most likely, due to a fact, that the deeper one went the better loot could be obtained, making early floors that less desirable.

As he walked down the corridor, he heard the sound that made him stop in his tracks. It was the sound of monster birth, the walls cracking, as vaguely humanoid beings emerged from the walls, fully grown and ready to kill. _Fascinating, so the Dungeon can easily spawn monsters on top of adventurers, which are also ready to fight. __I wish I could do that too, maybe Think Tank can figure something out when I finally get back. _

The monsters that emerged from the walls were goblins, similar to the ones he fought before, but stronger for some reason. The other ones looked like someone took a wolf's head and claws put it on a human torso and covered it in fur, known as a kobold. The monsters charged, snarling and ready to kill, while the Courier waited for them patiently and allowed them to strike first. One of the kobolds used it to its advantage and slashed at his face, while the rest of the group, attacked every single part of his body, searching for a weak spot.

He could feel the claws skidding over the surface of his armour not leaving a scratch in its wake, the same thing happening all over his body. It was pathetic, to say the least, leaving him sorely disappointed. _Giant Mantises and Radroaches are more dangerous than those things… _Using his sword against them would be waste, so instead, he punched the nearest kobold and watched as its head exploded in a cloud of gore, halting the attack in the process.

The monsters stopped their attack, jumping away at the death of their comrade. _Interesting, so they will attack someone even if he __is__ too strong to defeat, but they can also use some basic tactics to increase their odds of winning. _Unfortunately, that's where their intelligence ended, even back in his world, the raiders would sometimes run away when half of their comrades were dead and they didn't put a dent in him. These monsters, on the other hand, had no self-preservation to speak of and simply charged with blood lust in their eyes.

At this point, the Courier had enough and began punching the monsters one by one, until not a single one remained, leaving their remains on the floor. Many had turned into ash, but there were still plenty of corpses left, so he walked up to one of them and searched him. As soon as he removed the magic stone the size of a fingernail from the corpse, the rest of the body turned to ash, leaving nothing behind. He had seen it happen before with goblins, but seeing it with his own eyes, just left him confused about the monster kind. It didn't help that the monsters sometimes left behind a part of their body like Kobold's nail and Goblin's fang.

It made no sense, what so ever. The monsters were born fully grown, but when killed turned into ash. They bled, they fought, but they weren't like real animals or people for that matter. To top it off, each of them had a massive weak spot in the form of a magic stone embedded in their body, the destruction of which killed the monster instantly. The one good upside of this whole situation was the fact, that he wouldn't have to worry about the corpses left in the dungeon. He could imagine how bad would the whole thing smell if adventurers had to manually drag the rotting carcasses of the monsters out to the surface. On the upside, free fertilizer.

The Courier chuckled at his thoughts, before standing up and heading out to explore the rest of the floor. Going deeper could wait, he wanted to savour the Dungeon, explore it at his own pace. He wasn't getting anywhere anytime soon, so might as do just that. After all, it's how he got some of the most powerful and unique items he possessed.

As he walked along the path, more and more monsters decided to attack him, the result, lots of monster bodies strewn across the dungeon. Until he came what he would describe as a brightly coloured chicken, a fluffy yellow-green feathered rooster to be exact, which after seeing him clucked loudly, before running away very fast in the opposite direction. _That was new, was that a monster? __But it looked just like ordinary chicken… Then again, no chicken would survive in the Dungeon for long periods of time._

He considered killing the monster, but it didn't sit well with him. He was used to fighting back and killing those he deemed scum, but he didn't go around killing Brahmin and Big Horners for the fun of it. The few times he had to kill one, was due to self-defence and the meat it provided enough to keep him sated for at least a month. _Remember, Courier, those are monsters, they do not leave any meat behind and who knows it could provide some good loot. __I really hope, I am not wrong about this whole situation. _

Shaking his head, the Courier crouched before activating the stealth field and heading in the direction the monster went. From what he had seen, the monster was different from the rests, as it ran away from him, instead of trying to murder him. That alone made it trickier to catch since he either had to catch up to it or sneak up on it. As he moved through the Dungeon, the monsters didn't notice him, not even the kobolds that he presumed had a better sense of smell than average due to their canine head. Then again, he could sneak up on the likes of Night Stalker, Cazadors, Deathclaws and such, even while dressed in a suit of power armour and standing right in front of their faces.

Stealth was incredibly powerful back in Mojave. It allowed one to deliver a devastating critical strike, which could easily kill even a deathclaw. If one also had a silenced weapon, it was entirely possible to destroy a whole deathclaw nest and remain hidden. _The last thing, you never see. Fitting, if I say so myself. _It was how he avoided consequences when killing those with high positions and such. Also, Marked Men, those things used anti-materiel rifle, which really bloody hurt. Getting a drop on them was one of the most satisfying experiences, especially after traversing the hellhole the Divide was.

As he moved past the monsters, he found himself in a room with a tall pillar, leaking some kind of white fluid. All around him he could see monsters, which were slurping loudly as they drank it, including the same rooster, he had seen two minutes prior. _So, they can eat…__ You know what, I am not even going to question it.__ Still, s__tability at around fifty per cent, I'd better make it quick._ With his resolve renewed, he avoided bumping into the monsters, sneaking right up on the rooster. Then with one swift movement of a Blood-Nap, a unique bowie knife, he cut off its head, alerting all the monsters in the vicinity.

They were looking around wildly, not able to comprehend what had just happened. However, the Courier was already on top of the body of the rooster and using his pipboy, he easily transferred all the items from the body of the monster to himself, including a magic stone and a golden egg. He watched as the body turned into ash, the monsters taking a step back, confusion and fear evident in their movement. It was one of the many functions the original pipboy possessed. In his mind, the pipboy was worth way more than a weapon, simply due to its functionality. Plasma Rifle could melt things, but nothing else provided such a detailed analysis of his body while keeping track of his vitals among many others.

With a smirk on his face, the Courier proceeded to leave the area, deciding it was enough exploring for a day. Until he found himself on the main corridor, turning visible along the way, allowing his implant to recharge. Now that he had seen a sample of what the Dungeon had to offer, he was satisfied knowing all the hard work he put into himself during his travels paid off in the long run.

Leaving the Dungeon behind him, the man entered the plaza surrounding the tower noted the sun was slowly setting down._ Did I really spend that much time in the Dungeon? Then again, it was pretty big and I managed to explore almost the entirety of the floor._ Seeing it was slowly getting late, he decided to head back into the guild to deposit all the gemstones and the egg he found at the rooster. Going through the door, he scanned the employees until he found the one who spoke with him recently and headed towards her.

She smiled at him, a clipboard already in her hands along with a feather and ink. That was another difference, nobody used pencils only inks and feathers. Maybe he should leave adventuring to somebody else and simply set up his own merchant empire? Then again, it would be boring and probably draw way more attention, especially if he tried to introduce things like guns and stimpaks to the world.

Walking up to the woman, he took off his duffel bag, brought up his utensils and wrote. "Hello again, miss Eina. I have been to the Dungeon and would like to exchange what I have gathered for money, can you assist me with that?"

The woman read the sentence and immediately glared at him, really wishing she could yell at the Courier right in front of the entire guild. "Why did you go to the Dungeon?" She wrote, huffing as the man just shrugged in response.

"I wanted to see the Dungeon with own eyes, see if my skills are more than enough to at least survive inside of it. Do not be alarmed, I do not wish to go to the deepest floors on my very first day, but at the same time, standing still doing nothing is not something I take great enjoyment in," He explained, while the half-Elf just sighed at the response.

"I told you to wait for your advisor…," She muttered to herself, before writing down. "It's was irresponsible and dangerous, do you not care for your safety?"

"I care, I do not like being hurt, thank you very much. However, miss Tulle, you seem to be under impression that I can not take care of myself. I assure you, the monsters I have seen in the Dungeon are not worse than the ones I fought before," He responded, while the receptionist bit her lip at the response.

"All I ask of you to be careful, there were many adventurers before you that had overestimated their strength and died as a result of their pride. Anyway, I will lead to you to exchange boxes, come with me," She wrote, before heading towards one of the many exchange boxes, where the adventurers received Valis for their efforts.

The Courier took off the bag from his back and dumped it's content on the tray, along with the badge, a small pile of magic stones, nails, fangs, and a single golden egg. Eina could feel her jaw-dropping to the ground as she took in the sight in front of her. The number of monsters he had to kill was at least in double digits, not to mention Jack Bird's Golden Egg, which was one of the rarer drops the Guild had seen on a regular basis.

The fact that the Courier did it all without Falna, only made this whole even more impressive and made Eina worry skyrocket. The person inside a booth, took a look at the badge, before taking in all the loot and storing in a separate container, before handing the Courier a handful of golden coins.

"One million Valis for your effort, here you go," The man inside the booth said, before gesturing the Courier to hop along.

He turned around only to see very angry looking, Eina with a glare that could kill. She gestured him to follow along and knowing that he didn't have much choice in the matter, that wouldn't annoy her any further, he went along with her to the same spot the were not so long ago.

She gestured him to sit, before taking in a deep breath and calming herself down. "Why did you go to the Dungeon?" She asked with a glare.

Even if he couldn't understand her exact words, the meaning behind them was clear as day. So, he did the only thing he knew. He pulled out his utensils from the bag, before writing down his question, "I presume you are angry, to say the least. Did I do something wrong?"

She wanted to lash out for being so bloody dense, before she managed to reel in her emotions, letting out a sigh of pure undiluted worry. "Going into the Dungeon on your own is incredibly dangerous by itself. You should have at least waited for your advisor to explain to you the dangers of it." She wrote, before adding on top of that, "How many did you kill?"

"Over thirty," He wrote simply, while Eina blinked in confusion, not able to believe her own ears.

"I told you the adventurers should not venture, why did you not listen to me?" She asked, trying her hardest to discern, why would he be so careless about the whole thing.

"One, I did not venture, I was prepared for the Dungeon to the best of my ability, outside of the fact, I did not know about the layout or the monsters located within. Something that I have experienced more than once. Two, I stuck to the first floor only and called it a day, when I filled my bag with the drops. Three, I did not listen to you, because I had prior experience fighting monsters on the surface," He explained, while Eina just put her head in the palms of her hands.

"Even then, you should not go to the Dungeon without any knowledge about it. The Dungeon is 'alive' for the lack of better words, it can change, block off paths, summon entire hordes of monsters. Going in blindly has claimed many adventurers," She explained.

"You have lost some of them, didn't you?" Gaining a look of the surprise from the woman. "I have seen the look in your eyes before, the way you gesture, what you write. It's written all over your face. That's why you are so worried, aren't you, miss Tulle?" Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to deny the accusation, but couldn't. "That explains it, let me tell you a bit of advice. Never get attached, never get invested or else you will find yourself crying, unable to face the truth. I have seen people working on their dream project, their passion for years, only for it to be stripped away in instant, be it by blackmail, false accusation or simple theft. Don't make the same mistake."

When Eina read that, she didn't know what to say, how to respond, as the man slowly stood up, before leaving the half-elf behind alone with her thoughts.

"That could have gone better," The Courier muttered to himself as he left the Guild and headed towards the Hostess of Fertility Eina mentioned. It was brutal but necessary, he wanted to make it clear, that she shouldn't be worried about him, much less attached. Still, this whole situation left a bitter taste in his mouth.

After only a couple of minutes, he found himself at the entrance of the pub. The structure itself was a two-story building made of stone, similar to an inn. The front entrance was guarded by a set of double doors with wood carvings decorating the frame. Overall, the structure was impressive, but compared to the Tops or even Ultra-Luxe it paled in comparison.

As he walked inside he could see dozens of adventurers drinking away their worries, enjoying their meals and talking among each other. The waitresses of different races were attending to the guests, making everyone seem welcome. The atmosphere very similar to the pubs he visited back in Mojave Wasteland.

The waitresses that were busy going around the place were all female. The first one was a human girl, judging by the lack of spiky ears or tail. Her hair and eyes of the same light grey colouration. The second one was an elf with green hair and sky blue eyes. The third, a catgirl with brown hair and eyes, while another cat girl with green eyes and black hair attended the guests. Last but not least, was another human with brown eyes and medium-length brown hair.

His entrance did not go unnoticed, as the adventurers looked at him with curiosity, before returning to their tables. He could feel himself relax a little, it seemed like he would be able to blend in Orario just fine.

Looking around, he noticed what he presumed was the owner of the establishment, judging by what the pipboy told him. Having said that, all of the female employees were stronger than average, capable of withstanding a bullet or two. Walking up to the main desk, he put down his bag, the owner looking right at him.

She was a tall woman, almost as tall as him, standing six feet tall. She possessed brown eyes and long brown hair tied in a bun. She was also wearing a blue apron and the way her eyes moved judging his armour told him everything he needed. She liked money, that was for certain. "Hello there, what can I get you, mister?"

The Courier didn't understand and with a sigh, he pulled out his utensils before writing down his thoughts, "I would like to request a room in your establishment. Starting today and lasting for a month."

The eyebrow of the owner raised at the odd way of communication, but she presumed the man was unable to speak or hear. Still, with a smile on her face, she wrote, "The room costs two thousand Valis a day. You will have to pay sixty thousand Valis for the whole duration, paid upfront. The breakfast comes in with the room, but everything else will have to be paid in extra."

It was pretty simple agreement, so he took his 'hard-earned' Valis and counted the proper amount, before handing it over to the woman. Then in return, the woman handed over a key to one of the rooms upstairs, with a tag of two attached to it. With a nod of his head, he left the woman, before heading towards his room, going up the wooden stairs.

The room itself was simple but cosy. It had a single wooden bed, a nightstand with a gem powered night light, a single window, a desk, and a cupboard. However, to him, being stuck in an attic of a church for one whole month made this room look like paradise. With a thud, the bag landed on the floor, before he threw himself on top of the bed, the wood squeaking in protest. With a delighted sigh, he breathed in the smell of freshly washed sheets, a small smile spreading on top of his lips.

He looked at the time and noticed it was still early, only eight pm give or take. There was still that book store he wanted to visit and repay for the books but decided to leave it for tomorrow. He could simply leave the books in the back, knock on the door and evacuate before anyone saw him. With a satisfied sigh, he let his body fall asleep, relaxing in the process.

* * *

The next day, he woke up late, at six am. But, he needed it, especially after all the time, he spent sleeping on the bedroll kit. The bed was simply too good to leave and he did so begrudgingly. Getting up from the bed, he went to one of the showers located in the corridor to wash himself off, before leaving towards the guild, nodding towards the employees along the way, who repeated the gesture.

On his way there, he swung by to the book store, left the books, along with a few thousand Valis as compensation, before finding himself in front of the Guild. He went through the door and walked up to Eina, who looked alright, despite yesterday's events. The two greeted themselves with a nod before he took out his utensils to write. "Good morning, miss Tulle."

"Good Morning, Mister Six. Your advisor is already waiting for you," She wrote, a small smile on her face.

"I am glad to hear it, may I ask who it is?" He asked while the woman pointed at herself. He could feel his jaw drop a little. After what he wrote to her yesterday, he was pretty sure, she wouldn't want to with him ever again, much less be his advisor. Having said that, he had a bad feeling about this whole situation.

The woman then gestured him to follow, the two ending up in what looked like a classroom. As he went inside, the door locked behind him, the half-elf hiding the key in one of her pockets, the smile on her face giving him creeps. He gulped, as he realized he might had made a mistake, a grievous one at that, as the woman pulled out a big paper sheet with a single sentence on it, "I am not letting you die in the Dungeon, nor am I letting you leave until you learn how to speak and understand the dangers of the Dungeon. I hope we get along, mister Six."

At that moment, the Courier knew, he fucked up. His blood ran cold as he stared at the seemingly innocent girl making him more nervous than a deathclaw promontory. What followed next was eight hours of torture, as the woman did a terrific job of teaching him in a way that made him do everything in his power to end it as soon as possible.

It was only when she decided that he had enough, she let him go, the Courier booking it out as fast as his legs could carry him back to the Hostess of Fertility. _Forget the Dungeon, forget the Caesar's Legion, this woman is a __D__evil'__s__ incarnate! _And the worst part was, she wouldn't let him go. In fact, the guards located at the entrance were ordered to not let him through, unless he completed his speaking lessons along with the Dungeon lessons. He could, of course, sneak in, but he was pretty sure, she would not stop unless she got the results she expected.

So, that's how the whole week was spent, with the Courier going back to the inn, cramming as much knowledge as he could before heading back for more torture. In fact, he even bought books and maps from the Guild to get this over with as soon as he could. He used coffee back from Mojave, as little sleep as he could muster and his entire willpower to get out of this mess.

The only upside of this whole situation was the fact that Eina came through with his request. He finally knew, what gods existed in Orario, including the goddess he met. Not that he paid much attention to it since Eina was adamant about breaking him mentally and physically at the same time.

Only when his 'advisor' was satisfied with the results, she allowed him to go into the Dungeon. In fact, he wanted to get away from her so desperately, he found himself at floor five, before he realized it. The way he ran, it looked like the Devil himself was hot on his trail, the adventurers looking at him like he lost his mind.

With a sigh, he decided to head back, only for a roar, followed by a scream of fright to enter his ears. He stopped in his tracks and noticed a white-haired boy running desperately for his life, being chased by what looked like a Minotaur from the legends he read about and the same kind of monster described by the books he read. _Hmm… That looks dangerous, but the monster is still not that tough. Well, at least it's tougher than a radroach… __Hang on a second, haven't I seen this kid somewhere before? _It was a pitiful sight, the boy barely able to dodge the swings of a black club-like weapon of the beast, tripping and falling a few meters behind the Courier.

The monster then noticed him and with savage roar swung his weapon on top of Courier's head. A loud crack sounded across the Dungeon, the beast grinning at him before it's weapon snapped in half, earning a gasp of surprise from the boy and the monster. The Courier though barely felt it, as the geckos hit harder than it. However, before he could kill the monster, a sword flashed in the Dungeon, before the blood sprayed from the beast, drenching him and the boy in the process. It's body turning to ash.

Behind it, he saw a beautiful young girl, with eyes and hair the same colour of blond, akin to gold. She was wearing a simple breastplate along with some loosely attached pieces of armour, that barely resembled one. Her weapon of choice was a simple sword with a blue handle and the sheath of the same colour.

"Are you… okay?" She asked, her eyes glancing over the two. The boy didn't even flinch, most likely frozen in shock.

The Courier, on the other hand, groaned as he looked at his armour and sighed. "Great, now I have to clean it up again, do you know how hard it is to get the blood of the armour?"

"I…," She started only for the boy to turn completely red, yell on top of his lungs, before running away leaving the two alone in the process. The Courier blinked his eyes, while the woman turned red from having someone run away from her.

Then another person came, a werewolf who was struggling to hold his breath from the laughter. He had grey coloured hair, amber eyes, a blue tattoo on the left side of his face and a lean physique, that many females most likely found attractive, not that he would know, he preferred girls anyway.

"That guy, a friend of yours?" The Courier pointed to the werewolf, while Ais nodded timidly. "Huh, so, what's your name, kid?"

Kid? Ais was surprised, to say the least. The man in front of her didn't know who she was. However, the small Ais inside of her was happy not to be treated like an adult. She blushed, trying to regain her composure before she turned towards the Courier and said quietly, "Ais Wallenstein."

"Ais, huh? I am Six, Courier Six, pleased to meet you," The Courier introduced himself and extended his hand.

She was confused, her mind unable to comprehend the way he acted towards her, not scared, perverted like Loki, more like indifferent. Even the Bete stopped laughing, looking at the Courier like he lost his mind. Ais was confused by the situation, but she managed to put away her sword, before shaking the hand of the man, noticing he had a powerful grip.

"While, it was a pleasure meeting you, miss Wallenstein. I am afraid I have to go, this blood won't clean itself," He said, before nodding towards her and leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Bete wanted to say something, but the look on Ais' face was enough to forget it, his attention on her blushing face. Still, shaking from laughter, his eyes tracing the Courier as he left.


	5. Chapter 5

Leaving the swordswoman behind him, he began making his way up back to the Babel for a well-deserved shower. At the time, his brain felt like it was about to melt, the lessons Eina has given him being far worse than he expected. It didn't help that he was suffering from sleep deprivation, feeling completely spent, not caring in the slightest as he mowed the monsters down, taking their magic stones, before moving on, like a machine set on autopilot. He only took an occasional glance at his pipboy's automaps module to see if he was heading in the right direction, the one he ran through in the first place.

He barely noticed when he finally reached the first floor of the Dungeon, walking past the adventurers snickering behind his back. They were snorting and glancing in his direction, their attention at the blood covering his armour, his mind too tired to deal with this nonsense. Only when he reached the showers located at the ground level of the Babel tower, he could feel himself relax a little.

Instead of taking the armour off though, he walked inside, while he was still fully clothed and let the water wash away the vast majority of the blood, leaving only an occasional spot or two. He also had to use a bit of an abraxo cleaner to wash away what remained of it, before heading back for the pub he was currently staying at.

Thankfully enough, he still had enough clarity left to not wobble his way there or simply fall over before reaching it. As he entered the building, he nodded at the Mia and the rest of the waitresses, whose names he still didn't know now that he thought of it. It didn't help that for that whole week he had to act like mute or was too tired after each lesson to speak with them.

His whole interaction with the waitresses was very simple. He would wake up early, eat breakfast handed to him by one of the waitresses, before nodding at them, taking off his helmet, eating it all up as soon as he could, while still retaining the basic manners. He would then put his helmet back on, hand over the dishes and head for the Guild. The only good thing about this arrangement is none of them struck a conversation with him, seeing how cumbersome it was to write everything down and exchange notes all the times, something he was sure Mia was very well aware of.

Maybe when he wasn't so dead tired and the pub wasn't full, he would finally get to know their names, he thought to himself, as he weaved his way through the crowd, before heading straight into his room, locking the door behind him and falling on top of the bed, his mind shutting down before it hit the bed properly.

* * *

The room he found himself in was one he remembered, painfully. It was located at Repcon HQ, not far away from Novac, with its metal floor and walls. It had two floors, the first one, the one he was located on and the second one above him, with a single set of stairs leading upstairs.

"Come and get it, you big dumb… Hey! You're not one of those things out there. Who the hell are you?," A raspy voice came from above him, the source of it, a ghoul with hunting rifle and dressed up in a simple leather outfit.

"Jason sent me down here to get rid of the 'demons'," The Courier responded, his outfit of choice a reinforced combat armour mk1. The armour itself consisted of a split breastplate, pauldrons, and abdominal ring, along with an appropriate helmet.

"And I bet he told you it's the creator's will for you to risk your ass, instead of him, right? Well, good luck with that! I'd give you a hand, but no thanks. I may look like a corpse, but I'm partial to living!" The ghoul responded with a snort.

"You don't look like the other ghouls from Bright's group," The Courier said, taking the stark differences between him and the other ghouls he met on his way there. For instance the lack of robes and the attitude that didn't buy religious speeches for a second.

"Guess the outfit gives that away, huh? I never did buy into that religious mumbo-jumbo with the robes and all that shit. It gets lonely out in the wastes, okay? And I don't have to tell you that Bright's group has got some fine-looking ghoulettes in it!" The Ghoul said, with a grin, only to notice he was given a deadpan, by the man below. "Eh… or maybe I would have to tell you… Anyway, I helped them out, and they kept me supplied with ammo and pleasant company."

"And how exactly did you end up trapped up there?" The Courier inquired. After all, the ghoul seemed rather reasonable all things considered.

"First off, I'm not trapped. This was a tactical choice, all right. I'm no match for those things out there, so I found a good defensive position, and I've been defending it, right?" He replied, only for his voice to crack, his weapon lowering in the process. "...Aw, who am I fooling? I'm trapped. Name's Harland. Pleased to meet you."

"What happened was, I was escorting folks down to work when those things attacked us. Most of the fight was upstairs, but some folks panicked and made for the basement. And I went after them. Well, turns out there were even more of those bastards down here than upstairs, and things went to shit fast. I couldn't find the others, so I fell back to this room and set up a nice little kill zone. End of story," He explained, while the Courier could feel his eyebrow raise at the confession. He had to force himself to not snort from the ridiculousness of it.

"How did you survive, all by yourself, surrounded by Nightkin?" He asked and gestured to the headless corpse on the bottom of his feet.

It was a body of a Nightkin, one of the super mutants of West California. Former soldiers, assassins and one of the biggest threats in the history of former America. They resembled humans when it came to the general structure, but due to exposure to FEV, a Force Evolutionary Virus, their muscles were vastly bigger than that of an average person. Their purple skin was tough enough to block laser pistols and 9mm SMG without a scratch at the bare minimum and that's not taking into account their strength, speed and durability.

The Master, a figure long gone, intended to turn all the humans into these to help humanity, or that's what he believed in anyway. It turned out, the super mutants were sterile, meaning if the Vault Dweller hadn't stopped him back them, the Humanity as they knew it would be gone forever.

"I'm not delicate. Radroach meat for protein, condensation of the pipes for water, and I do my business over in the far corner. I wouldn't say it's been comfy," He answered.

"How can I help you get out of this room?" The Courier asked as he figured out, the ghoul would be willing to let him search through the room and access the records or find the stealthboys the Nightkin came here for if he helped him out.

"Ha! Well, you're polite, I'll give you that. If this was just between you and me, I'd do as you ask. But it's not. I had a friend with me when those mutant bastards came out of nowhere. She panicked and ran the wrong direction – further into the basement. She's probably dead, but I ain't leaving until I know for sure. I'd have gone looking myself, except I wouldn't last a minute out there. You, on the other hand, seem pretty resourceful. Find my friend, and I'll get out of your way," The ghoul requested, while the Courier could barely believe his ears.

This man wanted him to go into the basement, full of super-soldiers, wielding Rebar clubs, bumper swords and with enough durability to withstand high calibre bullets, to find the most likely dead ghoul. If that didn't sound insane, then he didn't know what did. The worst part was, he didn't have much of a choice.

However, before he would that, he had to make sure, on an off chance, that the stealtboys were located on the ground floor of the room, not upstairs. With his mind made up, he proceeded to carefully navigate the area, watching out for concealed explosives, bear traps and rigged shotguns. Only at the end of the room, he noticed a terminal.

His hopes raising, he clicked a single button, only for the terminal to start sparking uncontrollably. His eyes spread wide open as he ducked for cover, hugging the wall and covering his face, before the device exploded in his face, sending shrapnel towards him. He grunted at the force behind it, but the armour held strong preventing further damage. _A rigged terminal, haven't seen that one in ages. _

It was a very simple design, but very efficient. It allowed one to get a drop on those who tried to access private information if a bit messy. Unfortunately, it was the last place he hadn't searched beforehand, meaning he had to go upstairs. With a scowl on his lips, he drew his hunting rifle and began walking up the staircase.

As soon as he reached the top of the staircase, a sound of gunfire reached his ears, the bullet burring itself into the back of his breastplate, which took the brunt of the damage. The force behind was powerful enough to leave a painful bruise. The Courier levelled his rifle at his now hostile acquittance before he entered the VATS. Then he targeted the ghoul's head and with a single shoot blew it open, sending blood, guts and brain matter down the platform.

The Courier lowered his rifle as he walked up to the corpse of the ghoul, offering a silent prayer, his heart heavy. It was a day, he would remember forever, a day when he was forced to kill someone when he refused to be selfless and risk his own life for the sake of others.

* * *

Waking up with a jolt, he let out a sigh of relief, the memories still very much alive. _It was just a dream… I hoped I wouldn't have to see this scene happen in front of my eyes again. _The Ghoul's death was something he wasn't proud of, but it wasn't the first or the only time he took someone's life, even back then.

Long ago, he used to have regrets over it, but now, after the sheer amount of death he caused with his own two hands, it made things easier, he simply couldn't care anymore. Back in Mojave it was 'kill or be killed', be it bandits, tribals, hostile fauna, and flora, unlike Orario, where one was safe for the most part. It's how he got the title Lord Death of Murder Mountain and then Apocalypse Ain't Got Nothing after all.

With a groan, he made his way out of bed and headed downstairs. The Pub was pretty much empty, as most of the adventurers came here during the night to drink and party, rather than for a dinner, which was cheaper if one made them themselves. One of them was the owner herself, standing behind the counter, clearing a glass using a bit of wet cloth.

"Good morning," He greeted, the woman turning towards him.

"Good morning, it seems like you can talk after all," Mia teased her attention on her used-to-be mute customer.

"That would be the case, yes. Thanks to a certain acquittance of mine, who spent a lot of time and effort to teach me how to speak properly," He replied, still remembering painfully the lessons Eina taught him, while Mia grinned at the response.

"You'd better make it up to her then," She said, before putting the glass away. "Now then, do you have a name or not?"

"Courier Six, it's pleasure to finally speak with you, miss Grand," He introduced himself, while the woman squeezed his hand in a powerful grip.

"The pleasure is all mine. Now then, girls, come here, our mute guest finally feels like speaking! That means you too, May" She called out, bringing the rest of the staff towards them. He could see curiosity behind their eyes, as the walked up to them, their green outfits fluttering behind them. One addition to the group was a another cat woman, who came from the kitchen. She had a short, bobbed hair and was wearing a white chef's outfit with heeled boots, an ascot and a cap.

"Courier Six," He introduced himself, bowing his head in the process.

"Courier Six, nya? That's not a name, Nya!" The brown-haired cat woman argued her gaze on top of him.

"True, but that's what people know me as. Heck, most don't even bother remembering my true name anyway, miss…?" He explained.

"Anya Formel, nya," She introduced herself, while the Courier nodded and extended his head. She looked at it for a second, before shaking it vigorously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Formel," He said, before turning his attention to the other cat woman, with black hair and green eyes.

"Chloe Rollo," She introduced herself and the two shook hands. "Question, do you have to wear this armour all the time? The only time I have seen you take off was during breakfast."

"I don't have to, but I prefer to do so. I would rather not be caught unaware if I can help it, miss Rollo," He replied, while the just stared at him.

"What, are you afraid of getting hurt?" Mia asked, wanting to see how he would react.

"Afraid? That's inaccurate, more like used to. That doesn't mean, I like being hurt, miss Grand, thank you very much," He responded, giving the woman a deadpan, while she responded with laughter.

"Hah, you have a good head on your shoulder. Most men would deny based on principle," She said, while the Courier just chuckled.

"I know that type. However, I am not like this. After all, I am a spineless coward and a heartless bastard," He joked, while the owner gave an amused glare.

"Oh, is that so, mister bastard? Have you drowned the kitties in your life or something?" She inquired.

"Nope, only puppies," He replied and the two laughed, while the waitresses and the other cat woman just smiled at the banter between them.

Turning towards a brown-haired woman with the eyes of the same color he waited for her to introduce herself, "Lunoire Faust."

"It's pleasure to meet you, miss Faust," He said and shook hands with the woman.

"Is it possible for you to take your helmet off when meeting someone? It's rude, you know?" She asked, while the Courier just chuckled. He decided to humour the woman and took off his helmet, before offering it to her. She seemed taken back by the gesture, as the woman took a better look at his bandage covered face, with only his green eyes being visible.

"That's better, miss Faust?" He asked, while the woman smile, satisfied with the results. With only three employees left, a grey-haired human woman, the cat woman and an elf. The Courier decided to leave the elf for the last before he turned towards the human woman and waited for the response.

"Syr Flova," She introduced herself and the two shook hands. "So, I have a question for you, mister Six. Why are you covered in bandages? Were you hurt recently?"

"I was soaked in oil, set on fire and thrown down the Canyon, as a punishment for the task I failed," He said seriously, while their eyes spread wide open. The silence so thick, one could use a knife to cut through it.

"R-Really?" She asked, feeling bad about asking, only for the Courier to start chuckling uncontrollably, not able to contain his laughter.

"I am sorry, but the look on your face was too good," He said, while the woman pouted, her cheeks tainted pink, the atmosphere relaxed. "That didn't happen to me, I did meet a guy who did survive it though. Not a pleasant sight, let me tell you. As for me, well, personal reasons for the most part, also scars, I have got plenty of those."

"You do? But why?" The cat woman asked.

"I have a tendency to get into trouble, miss...?" He asked.

"May, I am a chef in here," She introduced herself.

"I see, pleased to meet you, Miss May," He said and shook the hand of the girl, who smiled in response. "Although, I am surprised, I was pretty certain miss Grand here cooked for the most part."

"Hah, I can do that, but somebody has to keep an eye on customers," She explained.

"Fair enough," He replied with a shrug.

"...Scars? How many of them do you possess?" The Elf he hadn't talked to yet, asked.

"Too many to count, miss…?" He responded.

"Ryuu Lion," She introduced herself, but instead of shaking his hand, she only glanced at it, before turning his attention to his head.

"Don't leave me hanging there, partner. It's the basic curtsey to shake hands," He said, but the Elf was unmoved, while everyone stared at him like he just lost his mind.

"You don't know much about Elves, do you?" Syr asked while the other waitresses played with the helmet, even May seemed curious about it.

"Don't suppose they are allergic to touch?" He tried, while everyone just chuckled, except Ryuu that is.

"No, silly. Elves do not allow someone they don't trust to touch their skin," Syr explained, causing the Courier to drop his hand in the process.

"I see, that explains it. Having said, miss Ryuu, with all due respect, if your kind truly feels like this, then I don't see it surviving for a very long time," He said, the murmurs stopping in an instant.

Ryuu eyes narrowed, glaring at the man, who didn't seem to be bothered by it. "And what makes you say that?"

"My past experience with a similar group, although far more xenophobic than Elves, last I checked. Want to hear a story about them? Just a quick note, it's going take a couple of minutes of your life," He warned, but the Elf nodded regardless.

"You asked for it. See, there was this group calling themselves Brotherhood of Steel. They possessed magical weapons and armour, far more powerful than anyone else in the country," The Courier began telling his tale, making sure to avoid certain compromising details of it. "However, they were not the most welcoming group. In fact, from what I have gathered, The Brotherhood of Steel used to send unwanted applicants to an area called 'the Glow' on a _"fool's quest," _referring to it by the moniker the _"Ancient Order," _just to laugh about it later when they ended up dead because of the high amount of monsters in the area."

That got the reaction out of the group, everyone staring intently at him, even Mia was interested in the tale it seemed, not to mention Ryuu, who was listening intently. He continued, "However, over the years, while they were stuck in their castles, the world changed around them, making them fear for their position. There were other groups, which could not manufacture the same quality of weapons and armour, but they had numbers and bodies to spare. For every twenty ordinary soldiers, one of their fell and soon they had to go into hiding, becoming nothing more but a bunch of raiders in better than average equipment."

"...That's not where the story ends, does it?" Ryuu inquired her attention on the Courier.

He shook his head in the response. "Far from it, after the war, they only sent out small patrols to explore the area, with some agents hiding in plain sight. One of which I have met in person, going by the name of Veronica Santangelo. She was one of the smarter ones, she could see with her very own eyes that the Brotherhood was failing. We began travelling together and at one point she decided to show proof to the Elder that there are better ways to live than hiding from the world, waiting for everyone else to die out."

"Did it work?" Syr asked, her curiosity getting better of her.

"They tried to murder her," He answered, earning gasp of shock from the woman, while everyone else frowned. "That's not even the end of it. They tried to murder her when she made contact with another group that spread knowledge and medical attention around them. An entire outpost was butchered on the very suspicion, she might have told them even a fraction of what they knew."

"You were there when that happened," Ryuu guessed, while the Courier nodded in response.

"Been there, saw it with my own eyes, including her death, by her former family. All I could do was run," He lied the last part, his story finished. "That's why, miss Lion, I warn you and the rest of your kind. If you keep going along this path, chances are you will end up the same as them."

He was about to leave, giving them some time to think it through before he decided to try one last thing. Standing in front of the Elf, he asked, his hand extended, "So what will it be, miss Lion?"

She looked at the hand, her disgust to those she deemed unworthy fighting against the story the man just told. However, one thing became certain the longer she thought about it, this man was different from the rest. He didn't stare, didn't ogle them, always looking right into their eyes, including the past week she barely saw him.

And the story he just told her, it wasn't made up, maybe not the most detailed one, but true nevertheless. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't feel any disgust towards him. Slowly raising her hand, she returned the handshake, feeling the warm fingers around her hand, before he squeezed gently and smiled underneath the bandages, before letting go.

"It seems like there is hope for you after all. Now then, I am going to head out to the Dungeon, otherwise, I am pretty sure, miss Mia will kick me out," He said, before putting on the helmet, the waitresses gave back.

"You can be certain of that, I don't need any freeloaders at my fine establishment," She voiced her opinion, while the Courier chuckled.

"Ain't that the truth? Now, then, I am off, have a nice day, everyone," The Courier bid his farewell, leaving the pub behind him. He didn't see as the Ryuu Lion stared at the hand he squeezed, trying to force herself to feel any disgust, only to fail miserably. Syr Flova smiling at her friend.

"I'm honestly shocked you let him touch you, much less doing it yourself," She said, looking as the adventurer left for the Dungeon.

She watched as the man left, his back with a bull painted on his back, going through the door's frame. She looked at her hand once again, a memory appearing from the clouds of the mind. It was a message, from a friend. She told her that if there ever was a man that could grab her hand, she mustn't let him go. Her eyes watching the man leave, until she could no longer see him.

* * *

"That went well, I think," The Courier muttered to himself, as he slowly walked towards the Dungeon. He made some good conversation, introduced himself and even told them a bit about himself, just a bit though. He was trying to avoid doing so, but when he heard about the Elves and their culture, he couldn't help himself.

As he walked towards the Dungeon, he realized, he hadn't gone shopping for about a month. It didn't help that, he couldn't speak not so long ago, thus making barter impossible. Still, now that he had a pretty good amount of Valis, he could at least check out the stores Eina mentioned. He shuddered as he remembered the lessons he went through with her.

Shaking his head, he headed to Babel, before finding what looked like an elevator, similar to the ones in Mojave. The key difference being powered by magic stones the monsters dropped. With a click of a button, he rode the device to the fourth floor, all by himself. When the door opened with a ring, he could feel his jaw drop a little.

Weapons, dozens of weapons everywhere he looked. The shops were displaying their best wares, such as axes, swords, shields, staffs, mails and such. As he walked up to one of the displays and looked at the price tag, he choked. _T-Thirty million Valis?! That's crazy! How can anyone afford to shop at his place? _As he stared at the well made long sword, an attendant came up to him.

"Hello there, sir. May I help you with choosing a weapon?" The man, with wolf ears and a tail asked, smiling friendly at the Courier.

"Depends, don't suppose you have weapons that cost less than one million, Valis, here?" The Courier asked, still shocked by the prices.

"I am afraid not on this floor at least. However, the Hephaestus Familia sells their wares from fourth to the eighth floor. Those higher offer lower quality equipment, if you wish to know," He responded.

"I see… That's useful, thanks, I will check those out instead. Have a nice day," He said, before leaving and going upstairs.

This floor was similar to the floor he visited, but much less grandeur. The weapons he saw were made from simple steel and lower-quality materials. The prices were reflected in that, most below hundred thousand Valis. As he walked up to a set of metal armour, he could only scowl at the quality of it. It was really poor, compared to what even Legion produced.

The armour he was wearing currently was a proof of that, as it had very similar protection to that of T-45D, a suit of power armour. While the armour in front of him was worse than common metal armours back in his world. In fact, it was so weak, it wouldn't be able to stop a bullet, something a gecko-backed reinforced leather armour could do.

However, he didn't come here to buy superior equipment, as he was pretty sure the one he possessed was ways above almost everything in Orario. What he needed were replacement parts or replacement armour in this case. Even the armour he possessed would get damaged, bent and broken, so when it's durability was compromised, he could always repair it.

He also needed some simple weapons that worked similar to the likes of super sledge and katana. In general, there were four types of melee weapons, bladed and blunt, with an additional two depending on if one needed one or two hands to wield it properly. However, thanks to jury-rigging all he needed were the equivalents of one-handed and two-handed weapons in a good condition. To put simply, he could fix a katana with a rolling pin and a super sledge with a pool cue, because they both were similar in ways they operated. Pool cues needed both hands to wield properly, while rolling pin only one, same thing with super sledge and katana.

Slowly, he began gathering a whole lot of weapons and armour, putting them on a counter, with a clerk behind it. Only when he was done, the Clerk began counting all the things he chose, which in turn cost quite a bit, considering the sheer amount, forcing him to use over half of the money he had left. Under his helmet, the Courier frowned at the amount of money he spent.

While he still technically had things from his world, he was trying to keep them for the future. It didn't help that nobody here ever heard of transistors, vacuum tubes or kevlar, not to mention things like laser beams and plasma. It also meant that the supply of ammo he possessed was limited and using it in the Dungeon would force him to make bullets of his own. Not to mention, he still possessed MF Hyperbreeder Alpha, which he was pretty sure Familias would gladly kill him over.

A weapon that had an infinite supply of ammo, only needing some maintenance here and there. It was also powerful enough to easily take care of level 1 and 2 monsters on the bare minimum. Yeah, there was no way he was going to show off his gear without some damn good reason. The last thing he needed is a bunch of gods pestering him all the time.

So, with his supplies packed in the duffel bag, he left for the elevator, riding down the bottom floor and hiding his new equipment inside the pipboy. Once he was on the ground floor, he made his way to the entrance of the Dungeon, going to the bottom of it, an occasional glance sent his way.

Without wasting any more time, he decided to go through each floor, clearing all the monsters along the way. One of the new monsters he found on the floors second to fourth was a Dungeon Lizard, Eina told him about. It was basically an oversized lizard, that tried to bite through his armour, only to get squashed like a bug for its efforts.

This went on until he finally reached the staircase to the fifth floor when he decided to call it a day. Making his way back to the Guild, he made sure Eina wasn't there anymore, the sun setting down in the distance. Dumping the contents on the tray, he received fifty thousand Valis for his effort, which was far less than he expected. _That's not good, that bird was worth way more than what I have gathered o__ver the distance of__ four floors. __Then again, I haven't seen it again this time. _

The more he thought about it, the less lucrative upper floors became. In fact, the amount of Valis he earned, wasn't even enough to pay for all the equipment he bought in a single day. It was still pretty decent cash and he wouldn't be fixing his gear all the time. However, he still had to buy a big patch of land to house his shape shuttle, build a hangar and pay for all the materials.

The cost of which, would rack up in millions of Valis, most likely. _I will be stuck here for quite a while, won't I_? The Courier sighed, as the reality finally came crashing down on top of him. Back in Mojave, he could easily get rich, by gathering stuff, fixing weapons and selling them to merchants. However, this wouldn't work here, as everything was meant to be of the highest quality to attract possible sellers. _Jury-rigging won't be that useful here, will it? Just my luck…_

Shaking his head, he began making his way back to the Hostess of Fertility, before looking around and seeing it packed to the brim with adventurers of different shapes and kinds enjoying drinks, food and the view of certain waitresses. The Courier snorted as the men made their intentions clear towards the employees. _Really, those guys. I mean, sure, they are all attractive in their own way, but why not ask them out instead? _

Then as he was about to go upstairs, he noticed a mop of clear white hair, along with red ruby eyes, sitting in the corner. _Wait a second, isn't that the kid from the Dungeon? Yeah, it's him __alright.__ Well then, let's say hello. _With his mind made up, he walked up to the lone figure, whose eyes spread wide open as soon as he saw him.

"What's up, kid? No longer drenched in blood, I see," The Courier greeted.

"Y-You! The man from the Dungeon!" He sputtered out, while the Courier chuckled.

"Easy there, kid. I am not here to make fun of you," He answered before sitting down on the chair opposite to him. "Was it really necessary to run though?"

"I-I didn't mean, to… I am sorry!" He bowed, while the Courier waved his hand in response.

"It's fine, no harm done. So, what's your name anyway?" He asked while the boy calmed down a bit.

"Bell Cranel," He introduced himself, extending his hand in greeting.

"Courier Six," He responded, while the boy blinked in response. "Yeah, I know, not much of a name. I get it quite often. Now then, I am going to order something, you want anything?" He asked, but the boy shook his head, he already had a plate full of spaghetti. Raising his hand, he waited for one of the waitresses to arrive.

"Good evening, mister Six. Would you like to order something?" Ryuu asked, with a plate on her chest.

"Good evening, miss Lion. I would like to order a plate of spaghetti and a jug of juice," He ordered, while the woman nodded. She turned towards the boy, but he only shook his head. Though, the Courier didn't miss as he sent an occasional glance towards her, most likely the result of her beauty. "Like what you see," He teased, while the boy sputtered the juice he was drinking, thus making him laugh at his expense. "You are so easy to tease, Bell." The boy sent him a pleading look, before looking down dejected.

After that, the Courier decided he had enough fun and waited for the order to arrive. It didn't take long, the sight of which just made him giddy inside. It was fresh, hot and smelled so delicious. It definitely beats eating raw meat, cooked dog meat or two-hundred-year-old food scavenged at Madre. With a nod, he let Ryuu go, the woman following him with her eyes for a moment.

Taking off his helmet and putting it aside, he rubbed his hands, only to notice the boy looking at him with his jaw in a shape of an o. With an evil grin, he decided to tease the boy a little more. "Like something you see, Bell? Although just to be clear, I prefer women."

"Gah! No! I didn't mean to stare, I…," He started, while the Courier just laughed at him, the boy glaring at him.

"Man, you are so easy to tease, I swear," He responded before digging in and letting his taste buds be delighted by homemade cooking. _This is great, heck it's better than most of the things I have eaten back in Mojave. Only Brahmin Wellington and Deathclaw Omelet can compare! _He had yet another reason to come here. And considering the amount of food he needed on a regular basis, it was easy to afford. Better than using his own supplies by a lot.

The two sat in silence, eating their food, only for the boy to finish before him. The waitresses, Syr, if he remembered correctly walked up to him before he paid for his meal, talked to her for a moment, before walking up to the Courier.

"I am going home, the goddess is probably getting worried. Thanks for saving me back there," The boy said, while the Courier turned towards him.

"You're welcome, Bell. Give me a sign, if you need any help. It would be a shame, if you died too early," He joked, while the boy smiled wryly.

"Yeah… Say, what level are you? I mean, you survived that club to the head?" He asked while the Courier shrugged.

"Not that high, level three with a skill that makes me harder to kill," He lied, while the boy's eyes went wide open.

"You have a skill? That's so awesome, I want one too," He complained, while the Courier chuckled.

"You will get a skill sooner or later, just give it enough time. Besides, everyone starts at zero, who knows, you might even become a first-class level adventurer if you give it your all," He answered, while the boy beamed at him.

"You're right, all I have to do is give it my all. Thanks, Six, you're a good guy," He said, before leaving the man alone with his thoughts. _Me, a good guy? I haven't heard that one in ages._

Just as he was enjoying himself, the door swung open and a big group of about new customers entered the pub, going straight to an empty tables, most likely reserved beforehand. Turning his gaze towards them, he noticed a certain blond swordswoman he had met recently. The whispers echoing around the bar.

"So that's them." "… They're the 'giant-killer Familia', eh?" "Aren't they first-class all-stars?!" "Who's the Sword Princess I've heard so much about?" People spoke around.

Only then he noticed the rest of the company and tensed a bit, at two Amazons going with them. However, they either didn't notice or didn't care, their gaze waving past him. He sighed with relief at that. He read the dossier regarding Ishtar Familia, the one who most likely chased him when he first arrived, but that didn't mean he wasn't a bit paranoid around the Amazons.

The rest of the group was pretty odd, to say the least. There was a Pallum, two Elves, a Dwarf, the Amazoness, a werewolf and a goddess Loki herself among the group. He could feel his mood dropping, so with a scowl, he quickly focused on the dish in front of him to get away from the woman as soon as possible.

He was ready to go when he heard a sentence that made him stop in his tracks. "You know the one! About those Minotaurs that ran away on the way back! Remember, ye finished off the last one on the fifth floor? And then, ya know, Tomato Boy and Bloody Tin Can!"

His gaze turned towards the werewolf who spoke it, the same one, he saw in the Dungeon in his barely coherent state. "Got himself corned like a Lil' bunny! Shakin' like one too! I almost couldn't bear to watch! Those two took the full blast of that stinky cow's blood, got soaked. Looked like two bright-red tomatoes! So, Tomato Boy and Bloody Tin Can! Gya-ha-ha-ha – Ow, my ribs…!"

"And get this! Tomato Boy, he ran away screaming his head off! While the Tin Can, said hello, before leaving like it was completely normal! Geeh! Our princess rescues two idiots and they just bugger off!" He continued, the crowd laughing, while the Courier snorted. _It does seem pretty pathetic, now that I think about it. Eina did quite a number on me, might as well set things right._

With his mind made up, he stood up, before walking up to the group. "That's harsh, but not inaccurate."

The pub was silenced almost instantly, everyone's gaze turning to the newcomer. Ais' eyes went wide open, while the werewolf just glared at him, before his eyes shone in recognition, his finger pointed at him. "You're that Bloody Tin Can from the Dungeon! What, did you come here to grovel in front of Ais' for saving your stupid worthless life?" The werewolf asked, laughing as much as the lungs could let him.

"I was fine, thank you very much. Although, it was quite rude of me to leave just like that. So, miss Wallenstein, I apologize," He said, while the woman just blinked at him.

"It's… fine," She settled on, while the Courier nodded in response.

"Hey! Don't ignore me, you asshole!" Bete growled, the Courier barely sparing him a glance.

"Anyway, I am Six, Courier Six. Pleased to meet you," He introduced himself, tipping his helmet at them.

The first one to get over the newcomer was the Pallum, who stood up, a smile on his face. "The pleasure is all ours. I am Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia and that's Bete Loga, one of our strongest members," He said, gesturing towards the werewolf, who tsked, while still glaring daggers at him. After that, each member stood up and introduced themselves, the group being evidently curious about him.

"If you don't me asking, Bete said here Ais' saved your and that other person's life. Is that not true?" Finn asked.

"Hardly, the Minotaur used my head a target practice and I barely felt it," He admitted, while Finn's eyebrow raised, turning towards the goddess Loki, who nodded at him, confirming he was telling the truth.

"I see, then you must be a pretty strong adventurer, what Familia are you from?" He questioned, while the Courier smiled under his helmet.

"Trade secret," He replied, earning a chuckle from the Pallum.

"I bet that nobody wanted him so he is a member of some low tier Familia," Bete said, while everyone else glared at him.

"Say, you said you survived a hit to the head from a Minotaur! Are you level three perhaps?" Tiona, an Amazon asked.

"Won't tell," He said, while the girl pouted, her sister Tione smiling at the response.

"Hah, you're not much of a talker, friend, are you?" The dwarf said while the Courier chuckled.

"Quite the opposite, Mister Gareth. It's just the fact that there is a certain goddess here, going by name of Loki, sitting right in front of me. And the last thing I want to say is something that could be used against me," He stated, while the Loki opened her eyes slightly.

The gods in Orario could tell truth from fiction, which meant he had to be extra careful around them. However, he wasn't sure how it worked exactly, simply because there was subjective truth and objective truth. A person could like strawberries, but someone else could hate them. Both of their opinions would be correct.

However, one couldn't lie to a god, if they knew it was false. He couldn't lie about his experience and knowledge, but what happened if someone told him that there were dragons in the world, without knowing it was true or not? He simply didn't want to risk it.

"Hoo? Is that so? Do you have a dark and troubled past that shouldn't see the light of day?" She teased, while the Courier snorted.

"Wouldn't you like to know. Anyway, it was a pleasure, but I am afraid I am getting tired. Enjoy the evening, Loki Familia," He said and just as he was about to leave, only for the goddess to stand in front of him, blocking his way out.

"Say, wouldn't you be interested in joining my Familia?" She asked, a small smile plastered on her face. Loki didn't have the same ability as Freya, allowing her to see the brilliance and colour of the soul. What she did have was experience, she knew what to look for in adventurers and which of them looked the most promising. And the Courier was plenty strong, simply by the event that transpired recently.

The Courier had to kick his mind into overdrive, as he desperately tried to figure out what to say, without telling too much about himself, including the fact, he had no Falna. "No, I do not wish to join your Familia. I have got no reason to do so," He said, trying to outmanoeuvre the goddess, but she wouldn't let him.

"Why not? There are plenty of strong members in our group, you could earn more money or level up faster with us," She countered, while the Courier frowned under his helmet. As much as he hated to admit it, she was making a good argument.

"You are correct, I could do so in your Familia. However, here is the thing. I don't want to join your Familia or any other Familia, I am happy with my current situation," He said, which was true. He was better off going in the Dungeon solo, fewer people to see him, smaller chances of his past becoming known. And joining a Familia collided with this goal, far more than anything else.

"Are you sure about that? Most people would kill for a chance to be invited to my Familia," She countered.

"I am sure, I don't mind working with you, but I do not intend to become a member of your Familia," He replied, the two starring off before finally, the goddess let go.

"It seems like, I can't convince you just yet. However, my offer still stands, I do not intend to give up," She responded with a smile, while the Courier chuckled.

"I have never expected otherwise, you gods have a hard time giving up on things that draw your attention, don't you?" He said, before saying his goodbyes and leaving for his room.

"Did you really mean it, Loki?" Riveria asked while Loki watched as the man left the pub.

She smiled at Elf. "Of course I meant it, he is strong, very strong in fact. I can tell that much, but it seems I might need to try a different approach," She answered, before going back to her Familia to try to grope Ais or the waitresses.


	6. Chapter 6

It was almost midnight, the Courier was laying in his bed, watching the ceiling, thinking about the events that transpired in that past month or so. He met two goddesses, went to the Dungeon, managed to learn how to speak and write and even got soaked in the monster's blood. Not the most exciting month, but it was better than nothing.

Still, over the past month, he hadn't done much in terms of doing his best to go home. In fact, he took it slow, letting himself find out more about the world and its inhabitants. The fact that he didn't miss Mojave at all didn't help. There were too many memories good and bad, some of which he was happy to forget about.

Yet none of it could prepare him for running the nation once the second battle of Hoover Dam took place. He had to approve of laws, deal with corruption, bandits, deathclaws, nightstalkers, remnants of the NCR and Legion, not to mention, the sheer amount of paperwork he had to go through on a daily basis. If it wasn't for the Yes-Man, he probably would have shot himself in the first week or so.

Honestly, it felt more like a vacation to him. This world, untouched by radiation and nuclear war was full of life. It had magic, something he used to think was a child's fantasy. And then there were so many new things to try out, food to taste, the Dungeon to explore. If anything, it brought back the memories when he was simply Courier Six, a legend of the wasteland. Not Courier Six, the ruler of the Mojave.

He let out a dry chuckle, as he came to these conclusions, a smile spreading on his lips. _It seems like some things don't really change after all. I wonder what would have Ulysses thought if he saw all of this? _With his mind clear out of stray thoughts, he made himself in the bed, as much as the armour would allow, his head falling on top of a comfy pillow, his eyes closing.

* * *

When the Courier woke up, he felt much more at ease, this time not dreaming about anything particular. Stretching himself with a groan, he went to take a quick shower, before going downstairs down to the pub. There he saw Mia, along with all the waitresses slowly preparing themselves for the evening guests, their attention switching to him for a moment.

"Good morning," He greeted.

"Good morning, nya," Anya greeted him, followed shortly by the rest. "Morning", "Good Morning."

One Elf, in particular, looked a bit longer than usual, before she greeted him as well with a small nod of her head. "Good morning."

"You heading off into the Dungeon again? Remember the rent won't pay itself," Mia reminded him, making the Courier snort in response.

"You don't have to tell me that, I am not that forgetful, at least not yet," He replied, the owner giving him a grin.

With a smile under his helmet, he sat at one of many empty tables at this time of an hour, before Ryuu walked up to him with a plate full of food, the Courier nodding at her. This time the breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, a slice of bread with butter, ham, cheese and a bit of tomato. That and a jug of juice to make it easier to swallow. Taking off his helmet, he took the fork and the knives before digging in, while still maintaining some basic manners.

"So, how does it taste?" Mia asked, curious about the opinion on her cooking.

"It's delicious, better than what I used to eat on a regular basis," He answered, giving a bit of smile to a woman.

"Glad you like then," She answered, proud of her skill.

"What did you eat then?" Syr asked while the Courier finished the meal on his plate.

"Hmm… a bit of everything, I guess? It's not like I got to choose to be picky, I am a courier after all. Had to scrounge up supplies, hunt some critters down and cook them, that kind of thing," He explained with a shrug. Then the realization hit him as he turned towards Ryuu. "Um… Just a quick question, you don't mind me eating meat or animals, do you?"

The Elf raised her eyebrow a bit, before shaking her head in the response. "Everyone needs to eat, same with carnivores and herbivores," She explained, while the Courier let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good to know. For a second I was worried, you might crucify me because I ate a deer when I was hungry or something," He said, while the rest of the group chuckled at the comment.

"That seems a bit extreme, don't you think, nya?" Anya asked while the Courier shrugged.

"Perhaps, but there are as many opinions as there are people and such. Some of these tend to be pretty radical when it comes to their views and how people should behave," He answered. "Anyway, I am heading off, have a nice day." With that said, he left the pub, the waitresses following him with their gaze for a moment.

"He is not much of a talker, nya," Anya voiced her opinion, while the rest of the group smiled wryly.

"Isn't that right?" Syr added, her gaze switching to Ryuu. "What do you think, Ryuu?"

"...I am not sure," She responded, the rest of the group intrigued by the response. "He is an odd man," She settled on, glancing at the same hand he shook last time, while Syr smiled knowingly at her friend.

"Maybe Ryuu has got a crush on our friend?" Chloe teased, while the Elf didn't react in the slightest.

"How about you, Chloe? Do you have a crush on our guest?" Lunoire asked while the cat girl shook her head in response.

"I prefer younger, less bulky men," She admitted, Syr glancing in her direction.

"If you have time to chat, you have got time to work!" Mia's voice boomed, everyone going back to the task at hand, while the woman just shook her head at the antics of her employees.

* * *

It was still early in the morning before eight am, but the streets were busy with different races and adventurers heading towards the Dungeon. While he intended to go there in the near future, there was still one thing that took priority. He needed to buy something for Eina for teaching him how to speak in about a week. Her lessons were brutal, but efficient, not to mention, she had to waste a lot of her personal time on him, which he felt deserved some kind of recognition.

There was, unfortunately, one major problem with that, he had no clue what to buy her. The only time he gave somebody a gift like this was with Veronica when she repeatedly asked for a dress, which he finally obtained at Ultra-Luxe. The memories of the Brotherhood's scribe surfacing, only to be buried deeply in the depths of his mind in the next five seconds.

Not a moment later, he found himself walking through the market, glancing at the merchandise, the merchants trying their hardest to bring in more and more clients. There were flowers, pots, sweets of different shapes and sizes, chocolates, fresh meat, and vegetables, just to name a few. Now that he thought about it, he should do some cooking of his own, but Hostess of Fertility had it covered.

Still, he was curious, how did his recipes compare to Mia's or May's? He wanted to believe he was a damn good cook, after all, he managed to create a recipe that imitated human flesh with his own survival expertise. Not that he would know about it, he wasn't cannibal, after all, it's not like he ever ate all the strange meat he found or any of the human flesh Violet used to feed her dogs… _This sounds worse and worse, the longer I think about it._

With a sigh, he could only ponder, just how messed up his life had become if he compared himself to a cannibal turned gourmet. At the same time, he could cook some good meals, all he needed was some substitute ingredients, like eggs, cheese, macaroni, some seafood and a replacement for a crunchy mutfruit.

That was the easiest part, with his vast knowledge of the trade, he easily managed to haggle for the lowest possible price, which made the whole thing cost less than two thousand Valis and buy enough to feed himself and everyone working at the Hostess of Fertility. They would make good test subjects too, he didn't want to be the only one suffering from a food poisoning after all.

The only issue would be, whether or not Mia would allow him to use the kitchen in the first place. Some cooks tended to be very defensive of their spot, not allowing others to cook using their utensils and such. He hoped that wouldn't be the case, otherwise, he would have to use a hot plate, something that didn't even compare to a real kitchen.

With that out of the way, there was only one thing left, present for Eina. He really had no clue what to buy her and could only look helplessly at the stalls with girly things that had no value to him. Back in Mojave, it was much more simple, gun good, armour good, teddy bear... worthless. Just as he considered buying some flowers or something, he noticed a certain mop of pure white hair and red eyes going through the market.

Normally he hated to ask for advice, since they tended to screw him over more times than not, but seeing how Bell still owed him for saving his life and all that, that might just work. With his mind made up, he walked up to the boy, gaining his attention. "Didn't expect to see you around here, kid."

"Oh, hey, Six. I didn't know you went shopping either," He responded, glancing at the duffel bag, while the Courier shrugged.

"I still have to eat you know. Say, do you know what would a girl appreciate as a present, that basically says 'thank you for teaching me, but please don't do it again' kind of thing?" He asked, while the boy just blinked in response.

"A present for a girl? I don't think I am the right person to ask…," He admitted, scratching his cheek.

"Bell, I saved you life, the least you can do is give me some advice," He pointed out, while the boy looked panicked.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He cried, while the Courier just chuckled at his naivete.

"Chill, seriously, you have got no chill in the slightest," He remarked, while the boy settled down a bit. "If it helps, she has got brown hair, green eyes, a half-Elf and working at a guild."

At that moment, the boy turned towards him and asked, "Would that girl be… Eina Tulle?"

"How the hell…? Wait, is she your advisor too?" He asked, coming to the conclusion on his own, while the boy nodded. The Courier then grabbed his shoulders, looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Bell, I need your help on this one and don't you dare run away just yet."

The boy could only nod frantically before the Courier finally let him go. "So, uh, I am not sure what does Eina likes to be perfectly honest… But, I think she will like some chocolates and some dark pink roses, they mean 'thank you' or at least that's what I heard."

"Roses and chocolates, huh? That sounds pretty accurate," The Courier muttered to himself, as he pondered what else could he give.

"Um, Six, have you ever bought a present for anyone before?" The boy asked.

"I did once, it's just that, she was really obvious about it and I travelled with her for some time. However, where I come from most people either give money, some kind of armour or a weapon as a present," He explained, the boy gawking at him.

"That sounds… interesting?" He tried, while the Courier snorted.

"Oh, trust me, it's not. Anyway, thanks for the help, Bell. I appreciate it," He said, before extending his hand the boy shaking it.

"You're welcome," He responded with a smile.

After that, the two headed their own way, Bell to the Dungeon, the Courier to buy some stuff. He wanted to go to the guild and apologize to Eina, but first, there was something else he wanted to do. There were two places he wanted to visit now that he could speak. First a shop that sold potions, so he could perform some basic analysis and then get something different to eat. He was pretty full, but there was that one stall that he noticed the first day he came here and it smelt delicious.

Walking north, near one of the gates, he found himself right where he wanted to be. There was a small stall selling food known as Jagamarukun, it was created by adding spices to crushed potatoes and fried after adding an outer skin. A relatively simple food, but that was fine with him. After all, back in Mojave, his main source of nutrition were steaks of multiple kinds, along with what he managed to find in the desert or took from the corpses of his enemies.

The one working on a stand was a small, petite girl with breasts that seemed to defy reality. He had no clue how she coped with them on a regular basis, after all, it tended to have a very negative impact on a spine. Then again, the one in front of him was a goddess Hestia, which could explain something. The amusing thing was, she was dirt poor from what he read, only possessing one member so far, meaning she had to work to keep her Familia afloat. That made him chuckle quite a bit.

"Good morning, I would like to order two sets of the wares your selling," He greeted, while the tiny woman smiled at him.

"Coming right up!" She replied, taking out two paper bags and putting them right inside of them. "That will be sixty Valis in total."

"Here you go," He said and drooped the appropriate amount on the tray. He had a fake pouch attached to his belt, that made things like taking money out easier. No need to drop his whole duffel to buy some basic groceries. Once he paid for the food, he put the bag on the ground, before stuffing the food inside the bag and making it go to the pipboy.

However, before he could leave, the goddess decided to ask him a question, "Say, you look strong, are you by any chance an adventurer?"

"I suppose that's one term to describe it," He answered, before turning towards her. "Is there a reason you are asking me this kind of a question?"

"Well, you see, I was curious if you would be interested in joining my Familia, Hestia Familia to be exact," She replied, while the Courier chuckled.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I am fine the way I am, but if it's any consolation, I have already rejected goddesses Loki when she asked the exact same question," He replied, while Hestia's eyes spread wide open. "Now then, I need to go, so have a nice day."

"Um… yes, you too," She replied and watched as the Courier left, biting her lip in the process. As the man left, he could not see or feel the anguish Hestia felt at such an opportunity slipping past her fingers, her eyes teary at the sight. _Stupid Hestia! Why didn't you even try to ask why? Maybe offer some more __Jagamarukun! __That would have shown that stupid Loki!_

* * *

With only one thing left, he headed towards Blue Pharmacy, a lesser-known medicinal type Familia, a direct competitor to Dian Cecht Familia, but nowhere near as wealthy. While he could go straight to Dian Cecht, their prices were something else, as he could not afford most of the things there.

He went past their store once and choked, a single potion cost around five hundred thousand Valis. Sure, he still had some money left, but he needed a couple of million Valis just to be able to afford the best of them in bigger quantity. Plus, more competition was always good for the market, something Crimson Caravan and Van Graffs learned painfully.

Entering the building, he took note of jars, filled with different substances, potions with liquids of different colours and many other things he did not recognize. Behind the counter stood a single employee of the building, a female Chienthrope, basically a human with dog ears and tail. She possessed long brown hair, purple eyes and wore simple clothing with her right hand being covered by a glove.

That, in turn, caught his attention, especially since the left hand was uncovered and healthy. Normally, he would have simply let it be, but considering his past experience with traps, ambushes and murder attempts, he activated his bionic eyes in EM vision. This allowed him to easily spot metal and mechanical components, including her right arm flaring up in its entirety.

Biting his lip, he considered the level of technology necessary for such a feat, before deciding to keep it in mind, but not bring it up. Nodding towards the female, he greeted, "Good morning."

"Good morning, is there something I can do for you?" She asked, her expression stoic.

"I would like to see what kind of potions do you have for sale," He answered, while the female nodded before bringing out several of her potions.

"These are the cheapest basic potions, they restore user's health in a limited amount. High potions are more powerful, but more expensive and if you need something to prevent you from the mind down we have got a few magic potions in stock," She explained

"Hmm… For the time being, I would like five basic potions and two magic potions, it should be more than enough," He decided, while the female put the appropriate amount on the table and added it all up.

"The total cost will be twenty thousand Valis," She said.

"Here you go," He responded, before putting the appropriate amount on the counter.

The female counted the Valis, before hiding in the counter. "… Are you by any chance an adventurer?"

"Perhaps, why are you asking?" He replied.

"We are looking for someone who will reach floor seven and gather some drops from the monsters known as Blue Papilos, seven to be exact," She explained, while the Courier cupped his chin.

"What's in it for me?" He asked while Nahza put on one of the basic healing potions on the counter.

"If you do that for us, we will provide you with fifteen health potions," She answered.

"Make it twenty and you got yourself a deal," He haggled, while the females' eyes narrowed.

"Twenty, but not a single one more and if possible I would like you to have it done sooner rather than later," She settled on.

"Very well, you got yourself a deal, miss…?" He replied before extending his hand.

"Nahza," She answered, shaking the hand.

"Very well, miss Nahza. I will gather the ingredients you require. Just to be sure, the Blue Papilos appear mostly in pantries, at floor seven, am I right?" He inquired, while the Chienthrope nodded in response.

"That would be the case," She replied.

"Okay, that's all I needed to know. Now then, have a nice day, miss Nahza," He said, before turning away and leaving through the front door.

"Have a nice day," She called after him watching him leave, biting her lip in the process.

As much as she wanted to try to con the man, just like she fooled another rookie adventurer, she concluded that it wouldn't be a good idea. The man looked experienced, carried himself like a warrior and just through a quick exchange, she noticed he was experienced in barter. That alone was more than enough to drop any funny ideas she might have had. _If only Miach didn't give so many potions away..._

* * *

As he walked towards the Guild, he started to feel nervous, like some kind of bad thing was about to happen. Entering the guild, he saw Eina talking with her coworker with pink hair, whose name he never got now that he thought of it.

However, that ceased almost immediately, her attention turning towards him, a small smile spread over her lips. Bracing himself for the inevitable, he walked up to the duo and said, "Good morning, miss Tulle and miss..."

"Misha Flot, we have never spoken before," She explained, the Courier nodding, before turning towards his advisor.

"So, Six, how are you, did you sleep well?" She inquired, still smiling in the process. _Creepy…._

"I am fine, thank you. How about you?" He asked as he tried to discern the half-Elf in front of her.

"Fine, just fine. Yesterday, I met Bell, he told me about a Minotaur that tried to kill him, but a certain adventurer saved him by using his own body as a shield, before Ais Wallenstein came to save the two of them," She explained, while the Courier could feel his blood run cold at the way she put it.

"Okay, before we get to the part, where you chew me out, I would like to say something," He implored, gaining a raised eyebrow from the woman. He quickly put down the duffel bag and with a swift movement set the two items the Bell mention, along with a small note attached to the flowers. 'Thank you for teaching me,' It wrote.

Eina could only blink at the items in front of her, the anger she felt just a moment ago, disappearing in an instant. Misha Flot was blinking in shock, her mouth in a shape of an o. The Elf opened her mouth and closed before she finally sighed and smiled at him. "You didn't have to," She said as she gently took the presents, sniffing the flowers, before putting them behind the desk, along with the chocolates.

"It didn't sit right with me, not after you spent the whole week teaching me. I figured out, that the least I could do was to express my gratitude somehow," He admitted, scratching the back of his head. "However, if you want to talk about that Minotaur, can we at least go to a place a bit more private?"

"Very well, follow me," She answered and the two found themselves sitting at the same table as the first time they had met. "So, I want to know one thing. How did you survive? The Minotaur is a level two monster. Something a human with no Falna should not be able to survive."

"Okay, to put it into perspective, the claw mark you saw on my back, you remember it right?" The Elf nodded. "See, that thing could easily kill the Minotaur in a single blow or two and I survived it."

Eina was shocked, her mouth spread wide open. A monster that was stronger than Minotaur on a surface and the man in front of her who somehow managed to survive it. It made no sense, the monsters were weaker on a surface, but even then, to survive an encounter like this without Falna was unheard of, to say the least. "How did you do it?"

"To be perfectly honest, it's a low point of my career," He started off, cupping his chin the process. "I was trying to get to a friendly town, going through a small passage to make it shorter. Only for the thing to jump on top of me. I ran away as fast as I could, but it still managed to get a hit on me from behind. It hurt a lot and I was a lot weaker back then. The only reason I managed to survive was that it decided to kill other people who had the same bright idea, allowing me to escape."

"You... let it kill others?" She could feel disappointment building up in her.

"It's not like I had much of a choice. The only upside is the fact that I managed to get a kill on it, after luring it into the trap and using most of the supplies I had," He explained before he sighed. "After that and dragging myself back to a nearby town, I swore to myself to become stronger one way or another. For instance the armour you see? It's not ordinary steel, let me tell you that."

"I see…," Eina muttered, biting her lip soon after.

The silence that followed was so thick one could cut through it with a knife before the half-Elf finally decided to break it. "Six, I know you are strong, I know I should give you benefit of the doubt, but I have lost too many adventurers to simply let you go inside the Dungeon unprepared."

"I understand that after all, 'adventurers should not venture', right?" He said while the woman smiled at him.

"At least you remember that. Fine, I will leave it be, but if you die in the Dungeon, I will never forgive you," She said, while the Courier chuckled.

"I understand, I promise I won't get myself killed in the Dungeon. If anything, I appreciate your concern. Anyway, I think I will be heading off. Take care, miss Tulle. Oh, and by the way, you should go out more, maybe go on a date with that Bell Cranel boy," He teased, while Eina blushed at the joke, pouting at him. He laughed it off, before running as fast as he could, leaving the half-Elf alone to her thoughts.

* * *

The Courier let out a chuckle, as he made his way towards the Dungeon, his mood improved. Teasing people was something he took quite a bit of joy in. After all, one did not survive wasteland without gaining a semblance of humour to cope with the bullshit being thrown in one's direction on a regular basis. It was one of the coping mechanisms he employed to keep himself sane after all.

Entering the Babel tower, he slowly made his way down to the first floor of the Dungeon, countless adventurers surrounding him, some giving him an occasional glance, but less than usual. He wanted to reach floor seven today, so he should get started sooner rather than later. With his mind made up, he descended into the Dungeon to earn his living and complete the quest he accepted.

Reaching floor five turned out to be fairly easy, as his only opponents were Kobolds, Goblins and some Dungeon Lizards every now and then. The main difference between the previous floors and this one was the color of walls which were now light green, not to mention the layout began to get more complicated with multiple paths branching off from the main beaten path.

As he descended even deeper to the seventh floor, he heard a crack and watched with curiosity as the Dungeon gave birth to monsters in front of his eyes. There was a dozen of them consisting of six War Shadows, two Frog Shooters, two Needle Rabbits and two Purple Months. The first one had humanoid structure and razor-sharp claws, with black skin similar in color to a shadow.

The Frog Shooters possessed one single large eye, they attacked using their long tongue. Needle Rabbits were basically rabbits with a horn that could easily pierce through the skin of weaker adventurers, while the Purple Month spread deadly powder that could poison humans and monsters alike. Most second class adventurer would probably be wary of such combination, but to the Courier, it was nothing more but a joke, as he simply clenched his fists before punching the nearest War Shadow into black mist and moving on to the next monsters.

In less than a minute all monsters were dead, not able to put a scratch, while the poison of the Purple Moths was useless against him. Now that he was on floor seven, he had to find the target of the request, before he would be able to leave. With his mind made, he headed towards the pantry, where Blue Papilos tended to come just like every other monster.

One major issue he had was a duration. The stealtboys and his stealth field were powerful, but they had a clear time limit, something that he became painfully aware of during one of his many treks across the Wasteland. The exception to that rule was stealth suit mark two, developed by Think Tank, which could maintain his stealth field basically forever, even if the effect was much weaker than that of a stealth boy.

Unfortunately, the suit had plenty of drawbacks, especially in a world where technology was far less developed. It could dispense stimpaks, med-x and such. However, it looked alien, which would draw a lot of attention, not to mention the ability to speak. He could just imagine what gods in Orario would do if they found out about it. The number of times it almost gave him heart attacks from innocent jokes was way too high for his comfort. He preferred not to use if possible. Not to mention, Elite Riot Gear provided better protection and the stealth field implant was more than enough for the most part.

As he turned himself invisible, he made his way to the pantry where monsters of many different kinds resided, eating the grey gruel that kept them nourished during their time in the Dungeon. Luckily it looked like he managed to get in just in time, the group of seven of Blue Papilos slowly walking towards the pillar, which split the fluid.

They looked like butterflies with translucent wings, not able to fly, but in exchange, they were able to heal other monsters. With a smirk on his face, the Courier got down to work, as the massive flock of over thirty monsters charged at him, while he cracked his knuckles in response. It was time to earn some Valis.

* * *

Orario, also known as Labyrinth City was home to countless gods and goddesses, all seeking entertainment in the lower world. One of such events consisted of a god inviting other gods to a party, so they could catch up and snicker behind each other's back. This time the party was thrown by a god, named Ganesha in his Familia's headquarters.

The building itself was a massive, thirty-meter, human-shaped statue with an elephant's head sitting cross-legged in the middle of the city block. The base of the building was surrounded by a stone wall. The statue sat proudly, puffing out its chest. It was famous for inspiring a sense of wonder and uneasiness within anyone who saw it. Magic stone lamps lit up the statue from many angles. The elephant stood out against the black night sky.

Unfortunately, the members of the Ganesha's Familia were torn up a bit as they went in and out, thinking how their hard word had gone into paying for this thing. The icing on the cake? The entrance to the building was in the crotch of the statue. The gods were pouring in for the party known as 'Celebration of the Gods'.

It was a large party put on by a god for other gods living in the lower world. There were no rules about who hosted and who attended. The Celebration was hosted by a god who wanted to throw a party and was attended by gods who wanted to come. It was all done on a whim.

Inside the host itself, wearing an elephant mask and dressed to match his statue greeted the guests in a booming voice from the top of a stage in the middle of the hall. The gods in attendance, by and large, ignored his greeting and continued talking among themselves.

The party was set up to be a standing buffet. Tables with white tablecloths lined the great hall. An array of fresh food filled the hall with a variety of mouthwatering smells. Soft echoes from the shoes of both the attendees and the staff thumped from all directions. A band sat behind the stage, waiting for the signal to play dance music.

One particular goddess with big breasts brought quite a lot of attention stuffing her cheeks to the brim with food. Hestia had no plans of slowing down—it was a buffet, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Hestia Familia was among the poorest of the poor Familias. She was most likely the bottom of the barrel of all the gods in attendance. But Hestia didn't mind. She had no problem with working so that Bell had enough energy to work in the Dungeon. Working in shops and doing odd jobs was just part of her life now, even when she stood out like a sore thumb with her ordinary clothes combined with shovelling food into her mouth.

"Just what do you think you're doing…?" A voice behind Hestia asked.

Spinning around, she saw other goddesses standing behind her. She had flaming red hair, sharp chin, dark crimson dress, and golden earrings. A patch of black skin covered half of the goddesses' face over her right eye, all covered in bandages.

"Hephaestus!" Hestia greeted and smiled at her friend.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Hestia. I'm glad you are well… I'd be happier if you wore something a little more appropriate," She noted, her attention drawn to Hestia's clothes.

"I am so happy to see you! It was a good idea after all!" She responded.

"Just so you know, I'm not lending you one single Valis," Hephaestus warned, remembering how Hestia acted last time she helped her.

"How rude!" Hestia huffed, while Hephaestus sent her a glare. While they had been friends for a long time, Hephaestus had lost her patience with Hestia because she hadn't formed her own _Familia_, hadn't worked, and had become a burden.

However, even after evicting her, the needy goddess would always come back asking for money. Whether it was "I can't find a job" or "I can't find a room that keeps the rain out," Hestia always had a sad story to tell before asking for help. She'd pushed Hephaestus as far as she could.

Hephaestus had a serious problem on her hands. She couldn't leave her friend out on the streets with no money, but she also couldn't keep helping her with every little thing. In the end, she gave Hestia the room under the church and found her a part-time job. The only thing Hestia did by herself was inducted Bell into her _Familia_. She acted mature and independent when she was around Bell. But on her own, she was a lazy goddess who couldn't get anything done on her own.

"Do I look like a goddess who would do that?! Sure, I needed your help in the past, but thanks to you, I'm doing fine on my own! I don't need to eat from anyone else's plate anymore!" Hestia argued.

"Weren't you doing that just a second ago?" Hephaestus noted.

"T-this food will just be leftover… If it's just going to be thrown away, I should at least put it to good use, yes?" Hestia tried.

"Ho-ho! That's a great way to put it. I'm so happy you've changed, my tears of happiness just won't stop," Hephaestus deadpanned. _Click-click, click-click._ High-heeled shoes echoed as another goddess approached them.

"Hee-hee… Still the best of friends, I see," She said.

"Eh… F-Freya?" Hestia asked.

She turned around to see her emerge from another group of deities a goddess so beautiful that she made the others look normal by comparison. The floor was her runway. Everyone else was there to admire her. The Goddess of Beauty gently swished her silver hair as she glided up to the other two goddesses.

"Why are you here…?" She asked.

"Is it wrong to greet her fellow goddess? Or am I disturbing you by any chance, Hestia?" Freya asked as she stepped into the conversation.

"No, I don't just like you very much," Hestia answered, while Freya giggled.

"Hey! Fei-Fei! Freya-! Itty Bitty!" Another voice came in, the group turning towards the newcomer.

Freya's smile widened as she turned to face the newcomer, who was flailing her arms and half jogging up to the group. She had vermilion-red eyes and hair. She'd changed her hairstyle from a simple short ponytail to a stylish inward spiral just for the Celebration. She was sporting a sleek black dress. She might not have looked like much standing next to Freya, but her face was on par with Hestia and Hephaestus in terms of charm.

"Yo! Loki," Hephaestus greeted.

"Why the hell are you here…?!" Hestia growled, glaring daggers at Loki.

"Am I not allowed to greet you without a reason? It's a Celebration, no? It'd be rude not to say hi. Get with the program, Itty Bitty," Loki responded, a smirk evident on her face.

Hestia could only glare at her rival, growling in the process. The two of them were direct opposites, for the lack of better term. Loki had resources, members, first-class adventurers and such. However, she could never have what Hestia possessed, the size of her breasts, which made the taller goddesses jealous each time she saw them.

"Hmm. Oh, Loki, I hear about your Familia all the time. Things must be going well?" Freya inquired.

"Waaa! To hear someone with a Familia as good as yours say that… I must be moving up in the world… But yeah, my children are my pride 'n' joy. Mind if I brag?" A tinge of pink covered Loki's face as she shyly scratched her head. Loki hid her feelings from the members of her _Familia_, but that was more difficult here. Hestia droned out for the most part, not interested in anything they said. It's not like Bell had a crush on anyone in Loki's Familia, which was a blessing as far as Hestia was concerned.

"So, Itty Bitty, is there nothing you want to say for yourself of how far did your Familia reach? Or how many powerful members you recruited lately?" Loki teased, smirking while Hestia's growled at her.

Then a sudden thought struck her and she smiled in response. "Why thank you, Loki. I was just thinking of how I met this powerful looking adventurer in metal armour with a bull painted on his back that I invited to my Familia."

That seemed to get the raise out of Loki, her eyes opened slightly as she glared at the goddesses. "Oh really? And what he accepted your worthless Familia? Don't make me laugh."

"Well, he did reject you when you asked him, after all," She argued, while Loki looked like she was just slapped.

"How do you know about it?" She asked, there was no way she would have known unless she saw it or one of her members did.

"He told me in person," She responded, gaining a sense of pure satisfaction as the Loki looked completely and utterly shocked, not able to utter a word.

That caught Freya's attention, as she glanced towards the taller goddesses. "Oh, he rejected you, Loki? That seems odd."

"… He did," Loki admitted, before turning towards Hestia. "But, there is no way, he would accept your Familia out of all in the Orario. He managed to survive a hit from Minotaur, something only level two adventurer should be able to survive without any lethal damage. I would have known if there was a level up of any kind at Decanus or if an adventurer with a high level came to Orario in the first place. Which means he is either some mysterious member of already existing Familia or just put on a disguise. That or he has got no Falna of his own and somehow managed to survive an encounter with Minotaur, which is to say impossible."

Freya listened carefully as she pondered about what the goddesses just said. If what Loki said was true, then Courier Six had to be a part of already existing Familia. The gods could tell if someone was lying, but not if the answer was written down instead of spoken. It looked like she had to look around a bit more, perhaps at the Guild. Still, the party was going strong so maybe she should ask around for a bit just in case. Although, she was pretty certain that wouldn't help.

"May I ask, what was his name, Loki?" Freya asked while the other goddesses turned towards her.

"Why are you asking?" Loki countered. She knew Freya quite well and could pick up on details. One of them was her unsustainable hunger for adventurers that caught her attention.

"No reason, just curious," She responded with a smile.

"Oh? What if I say I don't want to tell you?" She countered.

"Then I am simply going to ask around until someone can answer my question," She answered, while Loki bit her lip in response. Unfortunately, someone would spill the beans sooner or later, that's how powerful Freya's charm was.

"Courier Six, really odd, if you ask me," Loki answered. However, she didn't miss the fact that Freya was interested in someone she took a personal interest in. "Although just so you know, I am not going to let you have him just like that."

In return, Freya only smiled, sipping a bit of her wine. "My, is that wrong to ask about someone who rejected your offer?" Loki's eyes opened slightly before she turned towards Hestia.

In the meantime, Freya pondered about her current situation. There were a couple of facts to consider. One the name he used, which had never been brought up either on Denatus or anywhere else. That meant, he was relatively new to Orario or as Loki said, put on a disguise. The fact that he didn't speak when they first met was odd, but he could be mute for all she knew. And there was also the fact that he managed to survive a Minotaur, which meant he was not an average person, far from it. That only made Freya crave the Courier, even more, warmth spreading through her heart.

"So, Itty-Bitty, you gaining a new adventurer? As if," Loki said.

"Guh!" Hestia choked, as her lie was just utterly destroyed. Still, there was one thing that Loki did not have. Hestia put both her hands on her waist, before standing straight, her breast bouncing up and down in the process. She smirked, while Loki looked like she was about to murder her rival, her fists clenched.

Freya held her glass of fruit wine as she looked on with a smile. The fireworks were about to start. The two goddesses stood with their well-above-average busts bulging from their elegant dresses on the sidelines.

"How many men have fallen off the cliff of despair that is your flat chest? Ha-ha! See what I did there?" Hestia asked.

"Not funny at all, you hagggggg!" Loki yelled.

"Kiyaaaaaaa!" Hestia screamed.

Loki lunged at Hestia, her eyes leaking tears. Getting a good grip on Hestia's cheeks, Loki pulled as hard as she could. Her face expanded out like taffy, soft and squishy. Hestia tried to fight back, but her short arms couldn't even come close to grabbing Loki. She futilely swatted the air, her cheeks shiny with tears.

"Oh, what have we here?" A god asked.

"Looks like Loli Big Tits against Loki No Bits…!" Another one responded.

"Ten elixirs say that Loki walks away frustrated!" A bet was heard.

"All of my star chips say that I'll be the one to comfort her!" Yet another one added.

"Make a real bet, moron!" A yell was heard.

More and more gods came to watch the catfight unfolding in the great hall. Hephaestus's head drooped past her shoulders. She was already fed up with Hestia and Loki, now there was an audience to this brawl. Loki was shaking Hestia's entire body with her death grip on the smaller goddess's fluffy cheeks. Left, right, up, down, she shook Hestia in all directions. Shaking, shaking, and more shaking.

"… hee… hee… I'm thinkin' I've had enough for today…" Sad that she couldn't finish the job, Loki drooped Hestia to the floor and turned her back. Loki didn't even glance at the girl as she collapsed to the floor, just walked away. Loki's body twitched as she started to make her way across the room. It was not a victory lap.

"Hmph… Don't be looking so pathetic next time, loser. Tuck your tail and run!" Hestia yelled.

"I'll do ya in next time, ya hear me? Next time!" Loki bolted for the door, leaving a trail of tears in her wake.

"Just as I thought…" A murmur spread through the crowd of gods who had come to witness the fight. With the show over, they went back to their conversations and drifted elsewhere.

"I bid you Farewell," Freya said suddenly, bringing both Hestia and Hephaestus attentions to her.

"What, already? Do you have somewhere to be, Freya?" Hephaestus asked.

"I got the information I came here for, so there's no point in staying," Freya responded.

"It's about that Courier Six, isn't it?" Hephaestus asked while Freya smiled at her.

"… And I've gotten bored of all the men here," She added, silence spreading through the building. With a nod and a simple good-bye, she disappeared into the crowd. The remaining goddesses watched her leave before looking at one another. They exchanged an awkward laugh and a shrug.

"Freya really is the Goddess of Beauty… no respect," One of them said.

"She's in control of love and desire. Someone's bound to want her help…," Another one added.

"She has a Familia. She just doesn't see what is right under her nose. To think she might become a rival… makes me appreciate the children that much more!" One of the goddesses said.

"She could recruit new members just by smiling…," Another one complained.

Hephaestus let out a deep breath and scratched the bandage covering her right eye. It was a habit she'd picked up. Whenever she wasn't satisfied or couldn't accept something, her hand just went there on its own. Hestia let out a small "hmm" through her nose, watching Hephaestus closely.

"Anyway, what are you going to do now? I'm going to walk around, talk to a few more people. Are you going home?" Hephaestus asked. A light snapped on in Hestia's brain. Her shoulders jumped when she realized she had almost forgotten something very important. "You could stick around for a while? Have a drink or two?"

"Um… yeah… well…," Hestia started.

Hephaestus's expression changed when she saw Hestia started fidgeting. She'd seen that many times before. Ignoring the blast of suspicion bursting out from under Hephaestus's flaming red hair, Hestia made up her mind. She cleared her throat.

"I… um, have a favour to ask you," Hestia said.

"…" Hephaestus's left eye narrowed, sharp as a dagger. She knew what was coming and she was not looking forward to it. "You'd better have a good explanation, Hestia," She warned, while the tiny goddesses gulped visibly.


	7. Chapter 7

Corpses of the monsters littered the floor, their blood painted the walls, blood guts and gore spread all over the place. And right in the middle of it stood Courier Six, scanning his environment, before he finally deemed it monster free. "That should do it," He muttered to himself before he began striping the monsters from magic stones and drop items, including thin red paste and blood sausage.

The latter two were the result of one of his perks, called Them' Good Eatin. It gave him a fifty per cent chance to have any living being to drop one of those items or multiples of them. They were incredibly potent healing items, which also sated off hunger and could be sold back in Mojave for a big pile of bottle caps.

However, here in Orario, he was not willing to sell them for several reasons. One, someone could get interested in their origin, two they were powerful enough to heal major injuries and three, they were much easier to get than potions, all he had to do was keep killing. Suffice to say, if anyone found out about them, especially the gods, they would make his life into living hell. He wanted none of that.

After clearing the floor and leaving no loot behind, he began his journey back to the surface. He still had to get those wings back to the pharmacy after all. Besides he still had his pet project of analyzing the potions he bought and making some food of his own.

As he made his way back, some monsters tried to attack him, but he finished them off without skipping a beat, looting their corpses in the process. It was a routine at this point. Back in the Mojave, when raiders attacked him, he killed them, looted all their valuables and left naked corpses behind. Rinse and repeat for robots, animals, insects, etc. It's how he got rich after all.

The fact that he could easily live in this world, by killing a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters that only craved destruction and violence was quite ironic, now that he thought of it. In his world, it was survival of the fittest or with the biggest guns of all. Most of the people and creatures he killed attacked him first or were immediately hostile. It was either kill or be killed. The fact that this world relied on brutally murdering monsters to keep the economy afloat was kind of messed up actually. Then again, it was better than building nukes and killing each other for a bunch of bottle caps with stars on them.

Shaking his head, he focused on getting to the surface as soon as he could. As he made his way back, some of the monsters attacked him just like that last few times, which he promptly killed. One thing he had to avoid was having someone witness his abilities, which meant he had to either manually extract all the drop items or wait for the adventurers to pass him. At least most of them barely spared him a glance at this point.

A while later, he found himself at the entrance of the Dungeon, the sun slowly setting down, it's rays bathing the city orange. Making his way to the Guild, he sold off most of the loot items, except the ones the Nahza asked for gaining in total one hundred thousand Valis. It was a pretty good amount considering he went all the way to floor seven and fought an entire army of them, easily killing over a hundred monsters by himself.

With his purse slightly heavier with Valis, he made his way back to the Blue Pharmacy to drop off the Blue Papilos' wings. As he entered the store with a ding, Nahza turned her attention towards him, her eyes spreading out slightly.

"You're back soon, how did it go?" She asked, while the Courier simply dumped the content of his duffel bag on the counter. She took note of the drops, carefully examining them one by one before she smiled slightly. "These are good quality, although I didn't expect you to come here so soon."

He shrugged and said, "The sooner it's done, the better. Now, about my reward?"

The female nodded and began putting all twenty potions on the counter. Once she finished the Courier grabbed them one by one shook them slightly, watching as the contents stirred. Satisfied with the result, he put all the potions in the bag, before heaving it over his shoulder.

"I believe our dealings are done here?" He asked.

"That would be correct, but would you be interested in doing some more quests for us in the future? You would be compensated accordingly of course," She asked.

"Sure, why not. Just put it in the Guild or tell Eina Tulle," He answered, while Nahza nodded. "Now then, have a nice day, miss Nahza."

"You too," She responded and watched as the Courier left the Blue Pharmacy behind.

What the Courier didn't see was a small smile on the woman's face as she examined the loot. This amount of drop items would keep the pharmacy afloat in the nearest future. If luck would have it, the Courier would accept another request, one harder than this, but very important for her and Miach alike.

With the job well done, the Courier began making his way back to the Hostess of Fertility. And just like the last time, the pub was packed to the brim with adventurers drinking away their worries, cheering and having fun as ordinary people did. He was grateful he didn't need any of that. The taste of alcohol was something he rarely indulged himself in.

The few times he did was mostly to give himself some more carry capacity or boost to his charisma and speech. Also, being addicted was annoying and forced him to waste precious Fixer on something that could have been avoided in the first place. At least when he used things like Med-X, Slasher, Turbo or Battle Brew the benefits outclassed the drawbacks.

So, with a practised movement, he sat at one of the free tables and waited for one of the waitresses to arrive. This time, it was Anya. "What can I get you, nya?" She asked, her tail swishing back and forth, a small on her lips.

"A plate of spaghetti, if you would be so kind," He responded, while the woman nodded, before heading back to the main counter. A couple of minutes later she returned with the dish, steam coming out of it, the plate looking oh so delicious.

"Have a nice meal, nya," She said, while the man nodded at her before she left towards other customers.

Once she was far enough, he took off his helmet, grabbed the utensils and began eating, his taste buds enjoying every single piece of it. With nothing to distract him, he was done in a moment. Leaving the plate behind him, he walked up to the counter, paid for his meal and headed upstairs back to his room. On his way there, he saw Ryuu going between the tables, who glanced at him for a moment, before returning to the task at hand. Once he was inside the room, he put the duffel bag away before materializing the potions he bought in the morning and putting them on the desk. One of the major aspects pipboy possessed was the fact it could analyze any substance, weapon, armour and such and give accurate data regarding it.

He had no clue how it worked exactly, as the pipboy lacked anything resembling a probe or a scanner that would allow such a thing. Still, it was incredibly useful and he could not imagine conquering the wasteland without its help. As he took note of the effects the potion possessed, he could feel himself frown.

The potion to put mildly was terrible. Maybe not one hundred per cent useless, but still pretty much worthless. From what he could see, the potion only healed a set amount of health over a short period of time. The amount of which was worse than a basic stimpak or even healing powder. The fact that people paid money for something subpar was pretty amusing all things considered.

With that out of the way, he focused his attention on the second potion he bought, the one that allowed him to restore mind in case he used magic, not like that would happen. However, unlike the previous one, it was promising to say the least. From what he could see, it restored his action points, which powered many critical subsystems in his body and pipboy.

That in itself was very useful, far more than he expected. While he possessed ways to temporarily boost his action points and their regeneration, it involved using drugs that he was trying to minimize at all times. So, having a safe alternative would be a huge boon, especially if he could replicate the thing, which he totally could.

Back in the Sierra Madre, there were special codes that allowed the user to access hidden items on Sierra Madre vending machine such as Med-X, ammo, demolition charges, etc. However, the selection was limited so with the help of Think Tank, they managed to create a scanner that could scan an item and then allow for easy creation of said item by paying a set amount of Sierra Madre chips.

Of course, things like food were cheaper compared to demolition charges, but it was still very much a miraculous technology. One of its current limitations was the complexity of the item asked. The more powerful, rarer weapon, the more expensive it was. That's why he rarely used it to buy anything of this sort, plus weapon and armour repair kits were far more valuable in his mind. Not to mention, he had a limited number of the chips on him and wasting them here would be stupid, to say the least.

Bringing out the scanner, which looked like many of the cameras seen commonly in the wasteland, he put the bottle in the objective and pressed the button. The device whirled a bit before a small ding was heard and a holotape was ejected from it, containing all the necessary data to create the item in the future. He considered doing the same for the healing potion, but he decided against it. Instead, he slapped a fresh holotape inside the device, before making it dematerialize.

With all important stuff out of the way, he quickly made his way to the showers located inside the pub. One thing was certain, diving deep into Lake Mead was far less pleasant than taking a hot shower, something he came to appreciate over the years. Not a half an hour later, he was done and with a practised movement, he jumped inside the bed, made himself comfortable before he drifted off into the Morpheus' embrace.

* * *

Deathclaws, giant nasty reptiles that barely resembled harmless Jackson's Chameleon they originated from. When they stood upright, they were almost double the size of an average grown human male. Their razor-sharp claws could tear through combat armour like it was made of butter and not even a full set of advanced power armour deployed by the Enclave could not fully protect from their claws.

If that couldn't get any worse, the beasts travelled in packs led by Alpha Deathclaw and Mother Deathclaw, both of which were much worse than an average deathclaw. Something the Courier became painfully aware of when he fought the monsters last time. However, things were looking even worse for the man than the last time.

He was currently dressed in a full set of Elite Riot Gear, a pre-war armour that was used by L.A.P.D. riot squads with its own set of night vision, thermal vision and increased protection compared to standard riot gear. In his hand was a flagpole known as Old Glory, given to him by Ulysses.

The place he was located at was known as deathclaw promontory, which possessed the highest number of deathclaws he had ever seen in his entire life, more than thirty surrounded him from all sides ready to jump at him. It was located on the other side of the Colorado River, almost opposite to Caesar's Legion slave camp located at the bank of the river, on a cliff with a single entrance.

Most people he knew would scream like little girls and try to run away only to be torn by incredibly agile monsters, that or they would suicide rush them like Fiends. However, to him, it was nothing more but a nuisance and he felt particularly vicious that day, really needing something to vent himself on.

With implant GRX activated, he charged towards the pack, rushing up to the nearest deathclaw, before entering VATS and using Grand Slam, a two-handed attack that one shoot Legate Lanius when he used it on him. The deathclaw exploded in a pile of blood, guts, and gore, while he moved on to the next.

The pack tried to hit him, but they couldn't as he was simply too fast, with both implant GRX and kinetic implants active which more than tripled his movement speed, easily shattering the speed of sound. He ducked between the legs of an Alpha, before delivering another Grand Slam, killing it instantly and moving to the next.

However, Mother deathclaw swiped at him from behind, fully expecting to mortally wound the opponent. Instead, it felt like her attack was vastly reduced not able to draw a speck of blood or damage the armour. What it didn't know was the fact that at the time the Courier was full of drugs and rage, including Battle Brew and Slasher, both of which made him much harder to kill.

This combined with the armour's damage threshold and damage resistance meant not even legendary deathclaw could hope to pierce through the man's defence, only dealing a negligible amount of bleed-through damage, which easily regenerated thanks to Rad Child. However, the deathclaws were far too used to be able to kill everything they attacked that they never considered running away, not that it would have saved them.

The Courier smashed through the pack like it was made out of wet paper, rarely needing more than one or two hits to slaughter one of the monsters. And in the next two minutes, the whole pack was dead, their corpses littering the ground, soil soaked in red, as the man breathed heavily, an illusion of black jagged teeth, where his mouth should have been, just before he released one final roar in the air.

* * *

Waking up inside his bedroom with a jolt, he groaned as he remembered the dream he just had. It wasn't the worst one all things considered, which was something he could appreciate. Twisting his head to the side, he could feel rays of the Sun shining on his armour getting drowsiness out of his system. Solar Powered definitely helped, as he felt much more invigorated, before swinging his feet out of the bed.

Standing up, his bones popping as he stretched himself to get blood circling back again. With a shake of his head, he made his way downstairs, the waitresses already bustling around the Pub, while Mia supervised all the commotion.

She turned towards him and smirked. "Look who it is, had a nice dream?"

"Could have been worse I suppose," He answered, while the owner grinned, and he sat down at one of the tables, waiting for one of the waitresses to come over. This time it was Ryuu again who brought him a plate full of scrambled eggs, some bread and a couple of pieces of vegetables. Seeing the dish in front of him, he smiled beneath his helmet and nodded at the waitresses. "Thank you kindly, miss Lyon."

The elf nodded in response, before returning to the task at hand, her gaze lingering on the man a second longer than other clients. The man then dug into the food, savouring the taste just like the last time, while still retaining the basic manners. Once he was finished and was ready to go, he remembered something he wanted to do and walked up to the owner.

"Is there something else you need?" She asked while the man nodded in response.

"I was hoping to ask for permission to cook my own food in your kitchen as a test to see, how my food compares to yours or May's," He answered.

"Oh? You can cook? You don't look the type," She said and gave him a look over. The other waitresses heard it as well and walked up to them, except for Syr, who was nowhere to be seen.

"I did tell you that I had to hunt and such, it's something you pick up on the road, especially if you don't want to get food poisoning from eating raw meat. I'd like to think that my cooking is edible, seeing that I am still alive and all," He answered, while Mia laughed at that one along with the other waitresses, except Ryuu that is, although her lips did curl just very slightly upward.

"That's one of way to test it. However, letting you simply use the kitchen is too simple. You will have to cook for everyone working at the Hostess of Fertility and if it tastes bad, I will charge you extra for damaging our taste buds," She warned and grinned, while the Courier chuckled in response.

"Glad to see we are on the same page. So, when can I do it?" He asked.

"Let's see, how about now? Monsterphilia is going on today, so the traffic should be pretty low," She said, while the Courier raised an eyebrow.

"Monsterphilia? What's that?" He asked while everyone blinked at the response.

"Mister Six, have you never been to Monsterphilia before?" Lunoire asked.

He shook his head in response. "Can't say I did. Is it some kind of celebration?"

"No silly, nya. Monsterphilia is a festival, when Ganesha Familia tames the monsters from the dungeon in the Colosseum to entertain all the visitors, nya," Anya answered.

"Really? That sounds… odd, last I checked the monsters were treated as something to be killed on sight," He replied.

"That's not false, but inaccurate," Ryuu said, gaining the attention of the group. "You may not know it, but Ganesha Familia successfully tamed some of the monsters from the Dungeon and have been using them as either pack mules or even mounts, especially those which can fly."

"Huh… I didn't know about that, that's pretty impressive," He answered, before turning towards Mia. "However, why don't we make it a bit more interesting, a small friendly wager, what do you say?"

"And what kind of wager are we talking about?" She asked, her eyes narrowed.

"If my food tastes bad, you can charge me extra, but if I win, you will close the pub for the rest of the day and let everyone else enjoy the festival," He proposed. However, the owner wasn't that keen seeing her expression.

"Only one employee, no more no less," She argued.

"Why though? You said it yourself, the traffic won't be high during the day thanks to the festival. Or is it because miss Mia Grand is afraid of losing?" He baited the woman.

That made her eyes spread wide open before she laughed heartily. "I like you, you have guts, let me tell you. Fine, but everyone has to like it, no exception. Also, you have to get supplies of your own."

"Works for me, so that only leaves one thing, what would you like to eat?" He asked while everyone else blinked in confusion at that.

"And what kind of choice do we have?" Chloe asked, her tail swishing behind her at the idea of a free meal.

"Brahmin Wellington and Deathclaw Omelet," He answered.

"And what would they be?" Mia asked, curious about the odd naming convention.

"The first one is a steak wrapped in a puffy egg pastry. The second one is one of the most fulfilling omelettes you have ever eaten, with a bit of seafood and fruits added to the mix. What I want you to do is choose one of them and then I will cook the appropriate amount," He explained.

"Only one? Not both of them to taste?" Lunoire asked.

"I could cook both if you want, but chances are you won't be able to eat them both. They provide plenty of nutrition, more than an average meal," He answered.

"Very well, everyone please choose your dish and tell May about while you're at it. Let's see what can you do," Mia ordered, while the Courier went to his room to get his supplies.

Once everyone chose their dish, she led the man to the kitchen of the Pub. It was big, with multiple stoves, two sinks for washing dishes and all sorts of wooden cupboards for housing the utensils and plates.

"Here you go, you have got twenty minutes, I trust you know how to use a stove or do you need me to teach you how?" She asked while the Courier gave it a quick look over. Setting a fire was one of the most basic skills in the Mojave desert, after all, so he should be fine.

"I think, I will manage," He answered, while the Mia left the kitchen. "...How did it all end up like this?" He muttered to himself.

He expected some kind of resistance, but not to engage in some kind of cooking contest. Still, he had plenty of time and cooking and crafting was something that the pipboy did instantly. Another mystery he had no clue how it worked. Plus, it broke all kinds of physics, after all the formula for power was work divided by time.

Shaking his head, he began setting up all the necessary utensils, before getting down to work. Making Brahmin Wellington just right involved having good survival skills, mixing the eggs at the right time and then adding them all to the mix. One also had to know in what amount to add BlamCo Mac & Cheese in a way that wouldn't take away all the juiciness of the steak.

Wasteland Omelet, on the other hand, was slightly easier to make, but it required one of the rarest ingredients in Wasteland, Deathclaw egg. For the time being, he wanted to see how would his food taste if replacement ingredients were used in the process. Starting the stove, he brought a pan, set in on the device and got down to work.

Approximately five minutes later, two of the dishes were ready. One substitute Brahmin Wellington and Wasteland Omelette. Taking one of the many spare forks in his inventory, he cut off a piece of the steak, before putting it in his mouth and chewing on it. The taste was… underwhelming to say the least. He knew that ingredients were different but he was surprised at the sheer difference in quality.

He tried the same with the Omelette, but the results were pretty much the same, neither of the dishes being as good as back in his world. That was actually problematic since he couldn't just serve subpar meals to the owner and everyone else. Which either meant, he had to use ingredients from his world or try to make something different using the ingredients he had left.

After a short consideration, he decided to use the ingredients from his world and hope it wouldn't bite him in the ass. He had no time to experiment with the food from this world, not this time. With a heavy heart, he pulled out all the necessary ingredients to serve five people that were waiting for him. One deathclaw egg, three pieces of lakelurk meat, three crunchy mutfruits, eight ant eggs, six Blamco Mac & Cheese and last but not least three pieces of brahmin meat. This would allow him to cook three Wasteland Omelettes and three Brahmin Wellingtons.

Although, a small part of him wanted to serve another, bonus dish. The one he got from Philippe, called imitation strange meat pie meant to taste like human flesh. He could just picture their reactions in his mind before he dropped the idea with a chuckle. Maybe another time or he could prank one of the gods or something.

Getting down to work, he swiftly cooked all the appropriate dishes, before serving them on six separate plates used by Hostess of Fertility. With that out of the way, he put three dishes on one tray and the other three on the other before manoeuvring to the dining area, where everyone was sitting eagerly waiting for the food.

Ryu ordered Wasteland Omelette, Mia Wellington, Chloe Omelette, Anya Omelette, while May and Lunoire both also ordered the Wellington. Setting the dishes at their spots, he bowed to the group and said, "Please enjoy this humble meal."

They didn't have to be told twice as they all tasted the food almost at the exact same time. He watched with a smile, as everyone's eyes spread wide open. Anya looked happy, her tail swishing back and forth, same with Chloe and May, looks of absolute delight spread on their faces. Lunoire was almost exactly the same, with the exception of a tail.

"Delicious…," Ryuu muttered as she looked at the dish in front of her, a small smile evident on her face, before taking another bite.

Even the owner herself looked impressed, nodding as she tasted the steak. "You can feel the juiciness of the meat mixing with the soft egg yolk neither of the taste killing the other. Truly splendid steak," She commended, while the Courier chuckled.

"Thank you for the compliment, how about everyone else?" He asked while the waitresses nodded eagerly.

"It's really good, are you a professional chef by any chance?" May asked, her opinion on the food mimicking Mia's.

"Unfortunately no, but glad you enjoyed it," He replied, the catgirl beaming at him, while he turned towards the rest.

"It's delicious, nya!" Anya said and took another bit with a moan.

"Same here!" Chloe said as she repeated Anya's motions.

"It's very good, there is no denying that," Lunoire commended before she also took another bite.

"It is delicious," Ryuu said, while the Courier chuckled.

"Ow, you are making me blush," He teased, while the females laughed at his antics.

Ryuu rolled her eyes at him, but just seeing the elf smile was well worth it. It suited her and he would be lying if he said, he didn't prefer that way. It reminded him of Christine… and his good mood was gone in an instant. He scowled as he forced the memory back in its place, waiting for everyone else to finish.

"Thank you for the meal!" Everyone said, before taking the plates and trays back to the kitchen.

"So, I win, what do you say, miss Grand?" He asked while the owner grinned at him.

"I admit, it was well done. Don't suppose you would be interested in working for me as a chef?" She asked while the Courier shook his head with a chuckle.

"I am afraid I have to refuse the offer. Although, I am hoping you will let me use the kitchen in the future," He said, while the owner grinned at him.

"As long as you use your ingredients and let us have a taste now and then to confirm the quality of it," She haggled.

"My ingredients are fine, but I will only let you taste it if I deem it good myself, deal?" He asked and extended his hand.

"Deal," She answered and the two shook hands before everyone returned to them.

"Now then, I am going to see what this Monsterphilia is about, if anyone feels like tagging along, be my guest," He said, while the waitresses discussed it with each other for a second.

"Me, Chloe, May and Lunoire will head out ourselves, nya. You and Ryuu can go together, nya," Anya said, before all three of them quickly evacuated the pub leaving only the owner, the elf and Courier behind. For a second there he swore he could see the three of them blinking at the elf, but he was pretty sure he imagined it, right?

"Huh… Well, I kind of expected something a little bit different," He said, before turning towards the elf. "Are you fine with this situation, miss Lyon?"

"Indeed, miss Grand we will be leaving," She said and turned towards Mia.

"Have fun you too, but don't go overboard, I need my employees up and ready for tomorrow," She warned before the two headed to the streets. Leaving the owner behind as she watched intently the two going through the door.

* * *

Stalls littered the street as the children run around watching all manner of curious and unique merchandise being presented, the air rich with the fragrance of street food that made people's mouths water. The two were walking side by side towards the Colosseum, neither of the two saying a word, as people passed by them, some glancing at Ryuu and whispering behind their backs.

"She looks so pretty…," One of them said.

"Who is that guy and how did he manage to get a hot date like this?" Another one complained.

"Damn… I am so jealous!" The third one whined.

The Courier could only roll his eyes at the comments directed their way. It seems like the idea of a companion that only travelled with you out of convenience was not well known in Orario. It's not like it was a date, he never expected to go with Ryuu in the first place. Heck, he had never been on a date proper last he checked. Maybe before he got shot and lost most of his memories.

He had some vague idea of how dates worked, like ice cream, coffee, maybe going to the park together or something, but that was about it. Although, simply walking next to the elf and not saying a thing all this time seemed a bit rude all things considered. Biting his lip he turned towards the elf.

"Miss Lyon, is there any place you would like to go?" He asked while the elf shook her head.

"Nothing in particular," She answered. "Do you have a place you would like to visit?"

"Not really, I kind of would like to go around the area, see what they are selling, watch the monster taming or something," He replied, while the elf glanced at him. "Tell you what, let's get something to eat and then we will see what to do next."

"Agreed," She responded.

Looking around he found what he was looking for, a stall selling crepes. He walked up to the attendant, a young man dressed in simple clothing and ordered two sets, one for her, the other one for Ryuu. He initially expected he would have to pay for both of their orders, but Ryuu insisted to pay for herself, seeing that he made it possible in the first place.

His set of crepes was filled with chocolate, strawberries and a bit of syrup. While Ryuu's consisted mostly of fruits, a bit of syrup and some whipped cream and was roughly half the size of his. The reason for that was very simple, she was still very much full after the omelette she had eaten not so long ago. He had to put away his helmet and attach it to his hip to be able to eat, the elf glancing at him when he did so.

"Isn't it cumbersome to be dressed in armour like this all the time?" She asked.

Shaking his head, he answered, "A bit, but honestly, I feel the most comfortable, when I am dressed in a full suit of armour all the time. It's not that big of a deal, especially compared to being forced to change bandages on your body each day to prevent infection."

That got a bit of attention, as the elf focused on him. "Did that happen to you?"

"Nope, but I met a guy who had to do that. He also had to endure the agony of it every day, nothing able to heal his wounds or even make the pain less bearable," He answered, her eyes spread out slightly.

"… I see," She said before the two lapsed into silence once again.

_This is so awkward… _He honestly had no clue what to do next, racking his brain desperately to keep the conversation going. Fortunately, the world decided to throw him a bone just this once and in the crowd in front of him he spotted two familiar faces.

"Hey there, Bell, Syr," He greeted the duo towards them.

"Oh, hi there, Six," Bell greeted.

"Good morning, mister Six," Syr greeted, while Ryuu smiled at her co-worker.

"So, what are you guys doing here? Going on a date?" He teased, the two blushing in an instant.

"No! I am only here because Syr forgot her wallet!" Bell cried while Syr looked at him disappointed by that.

"Really? That's it? Are you going to tell me, you don't even have the guts to ask a cute girl out on a festival as a companion? Bell, I am disappointed," Courier said with a serious tone, while the boy stuttered at the accusation, not able to speak a word. Syr looked a bit better though, if slightly redder.

"What about you two? Are you on a date?" She asked, sending knowing look towards the elf.

"We never agreed to go on a date in the first place," Ryuu answered, though she did seem a bit off about the way Syr put it.

"Really? You wound my hurt heart, miss Lyon!" Courier gasped, putting his hand on heart, making the elf even more uncomfortable. "Guess I should have known, I am not good enough for a beauty such as yourself!"

That got a reaction of the elf, who flushed a faint shade of red, glaring daggers at him before he burst out laughing. "This was not funny," She said, while the Courier tried his hardest to keep his laughter at bay.

"I am sorry, so sorry, but I couldn't help myself. It's fun to tease others, you know," He answered, while the elf shook her head with a small smile on her face. "Now that's more like it, you should smile more often, miss Lyon, it suits you."

The elf's eyes spread wide open, her mouth slightly open, her cheeks turning a notch brighter. Bell, on the other hand, looked just confused, while Syr had an evil smirk on her face.

"Oh Ryuu, you should have told us," She teased, the elf turning towards her in an instant.

"That's not…," She started, not sure what to say.

"Funny coming from you, miss Flova," Courier said gaining the attention of the group. "I mean, I am pretty sure, you lost your wallet on purpose, just so you could meet up with Bell, because why else would they send anyone else instead of coming here themselves."

That got a reaction out of the woman, who turned bright as a tomato. "I didn't do that!"

"Are you going to tell me that you were going to trust your money with a guy you don't know that well instead of one of your friends? Right…," He teased, the woman pouting, while glaring dagger at him. Then the Courier chuckled and said, "Chill, you have got no chill at all."

That seemed to have worked and everyone relaxed a little. However, before anyone could do say something, there was a roar, coming from a street next to them. The group turned towards the source of it and he could see from the corner of his eyes blood draining out of both Bell's and Syr's faces. They looked like they saw a ghost, which they might have, given what was standing right in front of them.

A two-meter tall monster similar to the Minotaur with two large and curved horns, black skin, red hair, and yellow eyes stood in front of them. Barbarians, powerful monsters that appeared on lower floors below thirty. Its strength was equivalent to a level four or three adventurer something he read in one of the books. And right now it was glaring daggers at them, it's intent clear. Yet, behind it, in shadows, he could see a feminine silhouette watching intently.

"Ryuu take them out of here, now!" He ordered, the elf easily lifting both teenagers. She looked like she wanted to say something, but he interrupted her, "I will take care of it."

The elf nodded and started running, giving one last glance towards him while biting her lip. The monster roared as it charged forward intent on killing the Courier. It was fast, way faster than he expected. The only consolation was the fact that every other person ran into other alleys, clearing the way for the monster. Drawing his weapon, he waited for the monster to come close enough, a fist the size of his head racing towards him.

Half a meter away, he entered VATS and used one of the special attacks he knew, the Mauler. Rolling to the left, he smacked the monster right into the chest, drawing blood and sending it flying. It was something he used extensively on deathclaws and such. And just as the monster was flying in the air, he rushed forward and with a single two-handed strike, he obliterated the monster, it's body torn into pieces, blood, guts, and gore flying everywhere. It's magic stone shattered, the parts of the body turned into ash, leaving no trace behind. Now, there was only one thing left.

* * *

Sometime earlier, Freya, goddess of love and war sat in a cafe on the second floor, her face covered by a navy blue cloak to prevent her face and snowy white skin, from being seen. The cafe had a wooden interior and a very laid-back atmosphere. Yet, not even the clothes she was wearing were able to contain her beauty.

Despite her face being well hidden under a hood, every set of eyes in the cafe was trained on her. Whenever she would trace the lip of her cup with her delicate fingers or her elegant chin peeked out from under her hood for a moment, everyone around her held their breath. Many people who happened to see her stopped and stared. However, she paid no attention to them, focusing primarily on the street below, until creaks in the wooden floor announced the arrival of a few customers.

"Yo! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Loki said.

"Not at all. I just got here myself," She replied, smiling at the goddess waiving at her. And just behind her, acting like a guard was Ais Wallenstein, even Freya had to notice.

"Haven't had breaky yet. Mind if I grab a bite?" Loki asked, trying hard to suppress her yawn.

"Do as you please," Freya replied. The reason the two gathered here in the first place, it was Freya who invited her here in the first place, the two acting like old friends. "So, when are you going to introduce that girl standing behind you?"

"Eh, you need introducing?" Loki acted surprised.

"This is the first time for us to meet face-to-face," She replied.

"Okay then, this is my Ais. That's enough for you? Ais, this is a goddess, you should at least say hello," Loki introduced.

"...Nice to meet you," Ais said.

"You can take a seat," Loki said as the girl nodded and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"She is very cute. And also… Yes. I can see why you have taken a liking to this one," Freya commended, while Ais stayed emotionless the entire time, before lowering her head in a polite bow.

"Well then, I think it's about time you told me why I'm here?" Loki asked.

"I just wanted to chat. It's been a while," Freya replied.

"Lying through your teeth," Loki countered.

She smirked at Freya, who was still smiling under her hood. The pleasant aura was gone in an instant, even Ais kept her face devoid of emotions and just watched quietly from the side.

"I don't understand. What's the matter Loki?" Freya asked.

"Come on, moron, it's about Six isn't it?" Loki asked. Freya only smiled in response, while sighed and made herself comfortable in the chair. "You lustful woman, is that all you think about? You will go after anyone, young or old?"

"How rude, I do have standards," She answered.

All of the gods and goddesses knew about Freya's "habits" when it came to men. Once a male on Gekai caught her eye, she made a move. Her beauty was powerful enough to make her target her own. Exactly how many men had fallen under her spell, no one knew. Loki reasoned that Freya's target was most likely not in her Familia. Therefore, the reason she came to the Celebration in the first place was to figure out whose Familia the target was in.

Obviously going after someone already in another Familia, to take them away from it, would not go over well. The god of the other Familia would not sit by and do nothing. Freya was picking a fight. If the other side was strong, she'd get rejected and wallow in despair until she found her next target. She was being cautious, gathering information before she made her move. That was what Loki was thinking, anyway.

"Leaving out all the bumbling idiots in Heaven you pull fast ones on?" Loki countered

"They have their uses. I'm quite skilled at getting money out of them," Freya said.

Loki cleared her throat. The witch was putting up all of her dirty laundries. Loki raised an eyebrow at her fellow goddess. Freya shrugged, but only just enough for the fabric on her cloak to bend ever so slightly. Thinking that there was nothing left to be said, Loki put her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair so much that the front feet came off the floor.

"So, what do you see in him anyway? He is strong that much is certain, but that wouldn't be the sole reason, now would it?" Loki asked.

"… He's strong, but not that strong. If you compare him to some of the children in our Familias. Stoic, dangerous, terrifying even… And yet different, different from anything I have seen before. I've never seen anything like him," Freya confessed. "I found him by accident. He just happened to walk across my line of vision."

Loki could only sigh as yet another person would most likely end up in Freya's harem one way or another. However, she was not going simply let her get away with it, would she? "Just so you know, Freya. You might have seen him before, but I am not getting to simply watch idly and let you have him, you know?"

Freya only smiled and sipped a bit of tea. Then in her line of vision came the soul she was looking for, followed by another, different one, an elf. She could feel a pang of jealousy forming in her heart as she watched the man go towards the Colosseum, but then a new smile, a scary smile grew on her lips.

"I apologize. Something has come up," Freya said.

"Eh?" Loki asked, surprised by the announcement.

"Let's do this again soon," She said, before leaving the duo behind.

Loki collapsed to the table in stunned disappointment. Freya was already out of her chair. She adjusted her cloak as she went down the stairs and out of the building. Only Loki and Aiz were left in the café.

"What kinda person just leaves ya hangin' like that…?" Loki complained.

Loki stared at the staircase for a moment, her eye twitching. A small "hmm" escaped her throat as she turned to face the girl one seat away from her. Ais had her eyes glued to the window.

"What's up, Ais? Somethin' wrong?" She asked.

"… No," Ais said. She went on to say, "It's nothing." But she didn't look away. Her golden eyes, just like the silver eyes of the goddess before her, saw a familiar armour moving through the crowd to the stadium.

* * *

Freya watched as her plan to release some of the monsters for Monsterphilia came to fruition, she wanted to see the soul of the Courier shine and even if he died in a fight, she would chase him back to Heaven itself just to get hold of it.

There was one thing that bothered her, no matter how hard she looked, the man's soul was weak, weaker than even level one adventurer. And yet he managed to kill a Minotaur on his own. She had to test it, see how powerful he was no matter what. And what she saw made her heart skip a beat.

Normally his soul seemed to be peaceful. It's two colours never mixing, always in perfect harmony. However, when the monster attacked, she gasped at the sight. She could see the red side shine for a moment before it disappeared as soon as the monster died. It was expected, but different. At the same time, his grey part stayed still not reacting in the slightest.

She was ready to leave, but the man turned towards her staring right into her eyes. She took off into the valley, not wanting to meet him under these circumstances, only for the man to appear in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She pondered how did he do it before two powerful arms grasped her by her shoulders and pinned her to a wall, making her gasp from the force behind it, her hood falling back.

"Going somewhere, goddess?" He asked, the venom in his voice clear.

"Nowhere in particular," She responded and tried to wiggle free, but to no avail. One thing that made her crave the men in front of her, even more, was his complete and utter resistance to her charm. Even while being in front of her beauty, he had yet to react in any predictable manner.

"Oh really? Why I don't believe you, Freya? Let's see, because your charm is supposedly so powerful you can make anyone bend to your will?" He asked, gripping her just harder and making her yelp.

"No need to be violent, I was just in the vicinity," She said.

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you? What do I want to know why did you release this monster and probably a couple more, seeing that nobody managed to find him yet? Care to tell?" He asked, while the goddesses only smiled.

"That's a pretty interesting theory, might I ask where does it come from?" She asked.

"Don't be stupid, it's obvious when you think about it. If the monster was here on a loose, you wouldn't be following it from behind for no reason or staying in the shadows for that matter. So, let me put it straight, what do you want from me?" He asked.

"You," She replied, while the Courier just blinked in response.

"Pardon me, but I think I have misheard that last one, but did you say me? Why?" He asked, now he was really confused.

"You are different, your entire being is different. Unique, something I have never seen before. I want you, your love, your soul to be mine," She answered and smiled at him.

"… I would say I am flattered, but I am more creeped out to be perfectly honest," He said and shuddered at the way she put it. "Don't you have entire harem at your disposal already, your Familia? Why don't you spend some time with them instead?"

"I grew bored of them," She replied, while the Courier's head dropped at the confession. "I still love them mind you, but the passion is gone, I am afraid."

"So, you are one of those huh… I see, you chase the tingles whenever you see them," He said mostly to himself, before slowly letting the goddesses go, who put on her cape.

"So, what do you say, will you join me and my Familia?" She asked while the Courier shook his head.

"No, I won't join your Familia or you for that matter. In fact, I will tell you exactly what I think about you. You are a slut, to put simply," He said, while Freya's eyes spread wide open, not expecting this kind of response. "You chase anyone who draws your fancy, your love lasts only till you find another target. The love of a goddess of love is meaningless it seems."

That hurt, she felt like she was just slapped by the man in front of her. "..." She wanted to deny it, but he didn't let her.

"Let's take it up a notch. The love of a god is worthless, your or any other god. The gods are infertile. Loving a god is like loving a statue, it will not age, you can not form a family with it or do anything but enjoy its company. And to top it all off, there is nothing you can offer me that would change that. So, that's why, let me give you a piece of advice, find somebody else to bother," He explained, while the goddesses just stared at him breathing heavily.

"Now, I am tempted to report you or just send you back to Heaven, but seeing how I have got no proof and it would cause me a lot of trouble, not to mention the city itself, I will let you go this time. However, next time you do something stupid like letting a monster loose on the city, I will make you pay for it one way or another, got it?" He said, before turning around and leaving the valley to find the monsters that were left in the city.

"…," Freya was speechless as she watched the man leave her behind, her heart burning with desire. She had never been rejected before and this, in turn, made her crave the man even further. A wicked smile spread on her lips, her gaze watching as the man left her behind.

* * *

"… What a god damn mess," He complained, pun not intended, as he looked around at the wrecked stalls and such. From what he could gather Ryuu took Bell and Syr to safety, so he had no reason to stay here. There were still monsters on the loose in the city and they could be causing trouble.

As much as he wanted to say, it was none of his business, it was because of him and that crazy goddess the monsters were on loose in the first place. So, with a heavy sigh, he jumped at the nearest rooftop, looked around before he noticed what looked like a fight taking place. Just before he could move towards it, it felt like the ground itself shook. _An earthquake…?_

Shaking his head, he headed towards the fight and not a minute later, he arrived at his destination, seeing what could be described as a giant snake fighting three members of the Loki Familia, including Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya. However, they were unarmed and even the Amazoness could not damage the hide of a snake, which easily resisted their blows.

Still, they provided enough of the distraction. The elf was able to complete her chant, only for a creature to turn towards her in that exact moment. In an instant, a massive pale-green tendril shot out of the ground at her feet and slammed into her. Blood erupted from the elf's mouth, knocking her off her feet, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

"Lefiya?!" The duo shouted and rushed towards her.

Just a glance at the elf told him everything he needed to know. That impact was strong, easily able to take two-thirds of her health. The elf stopped moving, lying eerily still. The tendril that burst from the ground started to wiggle. At the same time, the creature began to change. It raised its lump-like head toward the sky. _Crick! Crick!_ Lines appeared—and it _bloomed_.

It's roar reverberated through the streets. Many petals stretched out to sunlight. Each of them was an ominous deep red. They all met in the centre, a gigantic mouth lined with fangs. Pollen shook free with every movement. The flesh inside its mouth was light pink. Its magic stone was visible deep in its throat as the beast turned toward its prey.

"What in the actual fuck…?!" The Courier muttered, as the memories of Vault 22 manifested in his mind. It was one of the nightmarish experiences in his life and now it was back again in this world too?! That stunned him for a moment since he did everything in power to eradicate all traces of the fungus responsible for spore carriers.

"Not a snake…but a flower?!" Tione exclaimed. Tiona yelled in horror. The long body was actually a stem. Its faceless lump of a head turned out to be a bud. The ferocious carnivorous flower turned its terrifying visage toward Lefiya. Several more tendrils exploded from the ground as the creature's body slithered toward the helpless elf.

"Lefiya, get up!" Tiona yelled.

"GAHHH, outta my way!" Tione yelled.

Tione and Tiona's path to their ally was blocked by the tendrils. No matter how many times they knocked one of the pale-green appendages to the ground, it would just rise again. Lefiya laid motionless in the middle of a wriggling forest of roots. The monster's head began moving towards the elf, spurring the Courier into action. Gritting his teeth, he jumped and landed right in front of the elf.

The maw opened and rushed at the elf before a set of arms stopped it from reaching her. The Courier growled as the massive plant monsters pushed towards the elf, trying it's hardest to eat the girl alive in one piece. His feet sunk into the ground, pieces of stone shattering from the strength behind the thing.

He was pissed, no, scratch that, furious. First Freya, now giant carnivorous flowers and now this mess. With a roar of his own, he forced the maw to shut down, holding it in one place as it trashed violently and used its tentacles to strike him. Even his armour couldn't fully protect from the blows of the monsters, as blood erupted from his body, painting the ground red.

However, the pain barely registered in his head, as he held the maw with one hand and using his right one, he punched the plant as hard as he could, sending it's head the air, causing it to lose its balance. Then before he could draw his sword, a streak of gold and silver flashed across his vision, the head of a plant separated from its body, Ais Wallenstein appearing in his view.

"Ais!" The Amazoness shouted before rushing towards the trio, the tendrils falling to the ground. However, before they could converge, the sword in the girl's hands shattered into pieces, leaving the group speechless. That wasn't even the end of it as three more monsters erupted from the ground surrounding the Ais and the Courier. This time, though, he had a weapon of his own.

Drawing Blade of the West, he entered VATS and targeted two of the plant monsters, before rushing forward and delivering vicious slash, tearing through the first one and destroying the magic stone in the process. He repeated the process for the second one, only for the third to bite at his neck. He growled and while spinning, he cut it's head in half, destroying the magic stone as well.

"I hate gardening," The Courier exclaimed as he finally sheathed the sword to the back. Then he glanced towards the elf, before turning towards the rest of the group. "You may want to get her a potion or two as soon as you can, she looks like she has seen better days."

"Right, Lefiya, are you alright?" Tione asked as she gently shook the elf.

What came out from her mouth was something that barely resembled human speech, if it could be called that. "T...tione?"

"We are here, Lefiya," Tiona added the elf looking at the group before her eyes stopped at the Courier.

"You... a man from the bar," She grumbled.

"The one and the same. Say, would you be interested in a potion for your companion, it won't come cheap though," He offered, while the four of them focused purely on him, giving him some of the purest deadpans he had ever seen. "What? I have to make a living somehow, besides I have already saved her life from an oversized plant," He argued.

"You're a dick you know," Tione said, while the Courier shrugged. "Still... How much for this potion of yours?"

"Five thousand Valis," He said, while the three stared at him.

"So, a high potion?" Tiona asked while the man shook his head.

"Nope, just the basic potion, should be enough to get her on her feet and get her some quality potions after that," He replied.

"That's not worth it all, you are asking for ten times the price of it," Tione pointed out.

"Of course I am, your friend is wounded, I have got a solution and unless you drag her to the nearest shop that sells potions, you might aggravate the wounds. Besides, for all we know, she could be dying of internal bleeding as we speak," He explained.

"... Fine," She said and handed over the necessary Valis, while the man put the duffel bag down and gave the potion to the Amazon, who proceeded to administer it to the elf. Lefiya coughed a bit as she drank the potion. However, it seemed to have done it and everyone let a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for the help, we needed it," Tiona said, glad it was over.

"You're welcome. Now, can anyone tell me, what the hell were those things?" He asked, turning towards the group.

"No clue, we have never seen anything like it before," Tiona replied.

"You didn't? That's worrisome, still, for the time being, the situation is under… control…," He said as he looked at what remained of Ais sword. "What the hell happened to your sword?"

Ais looked at it and said, "It broke."

"I can see that, I am asking why it broke?" He clarified.

"I fought monsters," She replied, while the Courier groaned at her response.

He turned towards the elf who slowly got back on her feet, feeling a bit better with the help of Amazoness. "You alright there, kid?"

"I… I think so," She muttered, still feeling weak from the blow.

"You know, we would have compensated you, if you simply gave us the potion in the first place," Tiona pointed out.

"Maybe, but many times I helped somebody people expected I would do it for free, which honestly is not good for the business. That's why I prefer payment upfront for something like this, that or half before and a half after," He explained, while the group looked between each other.

"That reminds me... Look at all that blood!" Tiona exclaimed everyone suddenly remembering how the plant smacked him not too long ago.

"I will manage, still have some potions left," He answered, while everyone just gave him a deadpan. "Enough about me, are you alright?"

The group looked at each other and they looked fine for the most part, except Lefiya that is. "It seems like it, thanks to your assistance," Tione replied.

"You are welcome. Now then, might if I ask you a question, Ais?" He turned towards the swordswoman, who raised her eyebrow. "Correct me if I am wrong, but this was an emergency, not a mission issued by a guild, right?"

"...Yes," The woman replied, while the Courier grabbed his temple.

"What it means is that sword you broke is probably not going to be compensated, right?" He said, which seemed to have worked as she looked at what remained from the sword in her hands with a revelation in her eyes. "Any idea how much it was worth or who made in the first place?"

"Ais got it from Goibniu as a replacement for her main weapon, Desperate, right?" Lefiya said, trying to be useful for once.

"Oh yeah, she did," Tiona said. "It will probably cost like fifty million Valis or more now that I think about it."

The news devastated the quiet woman, who looked like somebody dropped a ton of concrete on top of her head. He could see the sadness in her eyes and with an evil glint and a bit of theatrics, he said, "You know if you need the sword repaired... I am available, for a price that is."

"Wait, you are a smith?" Tione asked while everyone else turned towards him.

"Not really no, but I can fix stuff up quite well and do it on the fly as well," He explained. "So, what do you think?"

"How much would that repair cost?" Tione asked.

"Well, seeing how badly damaged the sword is, I am thinking... forty-five million Valis," He said, while Ais gaped at him.

"It's too expensive!" Tiona cried out, while the man cocked his head to the side.

"Is it though? I mean, this sword is basically useless, bar the handle. In order to fix it, you have to melt down the pieces, add more material to make up for the parts that were lost, reforge it and then you are done. Easily a couple of hours of work, not to mention the materials it was made from, which I am pretty sure is adamantine," He pointed out. The look on Ais face told him everything, the girl didn't expect to pay this much money for the repair. She bit her lips, hesitant upon the idea of handing the sword to him. "Look, there is nothing I can gain by stealing a broken sword from you. If anything, it would only get me into trouble," He added.

That seemed to have done it and Ais handed over the handle, before going over to search for the remains of the weapon. At the same time, the Courier laid the weapon in front of him and began looking around until he found what he was looking for. On the ground in front of him was a rolling pin in a mint condition too. With a smile under his helmet, he put it slightly below the handle and waited until Ais got all the pieces before making them in the vague shape of a sword.

"What is that rolling pin for?" Lefiya asked.

"You will see," He said, with a chuckle, before extending his both hands forward and shouting, "Abracadabra!"

The group watched intently, but nothing happened. "Umm… was that supposed to do something?" Tiona asked.

"Well, kind of, it's probably because you are looking!" He exclaimed, before hiding the items in front of him from their sight. "Now turn around would you, it won't work if you are looking!"

Ais glanced at Lefiya, who was just confused as she was. Tiona and Tione looked at each other, while the latter sighed and said, "It's not going to work any..."

"Done!" The Courier said, everyone, turning towards him, while he stood up.

"There is no way… eh?" Tione started only to feel her jaw drop to the ground along with everyone's else. The sword was intact like it had never been broken in the first place, except for the rolling pin, which was nowhere to be seen.

Giving it a few practice swings, he grabbed the weapon by the blade and with the handle turned towards Ais. She couldn't believe her own eyes as she gently took the sword and gave it a few swings, before slashing at a nearby wooden pole, which fell in half. "It's the same…," She muttered.

The Courier laughed as he watched their expressions from what could be described as a miracle. "Told you, I know how to fix stuff!"

Then at that moment Tiona grabbed him by his arms and started to shake him violently. "How did you do that?!"

"I-I-I aaaammm gonna hurl if yo-u d-don't stop-p!" He cried, the Amazon stopping in an instant. It took a lot from him not to escape from her grasp immediately, especially after being chased by her kind, but he did manage to keep his emotions in check.

"Please, tell me, how did you do that? It would save our entire Familia a lot of money," She begged, while the Courier shook his head.

"Can't do, trade secret," He replied, while tears appeared in the corner of her eyes.

"What if we were to pay you for your time and for fixing our weapons instead?" Tione suggested.

"Still no, I have got no intention of working for you and I would rather not have anyone else know," He replied, while an evil glint appeared in Tione's eyes.

"You do realize we will tell our goddesses about what happened today, including you?" She tried, while the man shrugged.

"I didn't expect otherwise, but if you try to blackmail me or tell other Familias about my skill, you can bet I won't speak to you or anyone else in your Familia ever again," He countered. "Also, Ais, you have a month to pay back for the repairs," He added, the woman nodding in response.

That seemed to have worked, as the Amazon shut up, while her sister let go off the Courier. "I see, in that case, I hope you will reconsider joining our Familia," Tione said.

"Not going to happen, still, I have got a message for your goddess," He said, everyone, turning towards him. "Ask her, how does it feel to have something so valuable in your grasp and yet not be able to claim it?" Then with a chuckle, he began his trek back to the pub, leaving the women behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

"...So, can anyone explain to me what has just happened?" Lefiya asked as she watched the Courier leave them behind.

"...I think, he just ditched us," Tiona replied as she despaired at the amount of Valis that reforging Urga would cost. "What should we do now?"

"I don't know, but we should tell Loki about it, not to mention there is still this whole debacle regarding that sword," Tione replied.

"Tell me about what exactly?" Loki asked as she came from one of the nearby valleys, gaining the attention of the group. She immediately focused on the elf who looked worse than she last saw her, her eyes opened slightly. "Are you alright, Lefiya? You don't look so hot."

"Um… I am fine, I guess," The elf responded though she winced a little.

"Courier Six gave Lefiya a basic healing potion, but we should still have Amid examine you," Tiona said, while the elf nodded in agreement.

"Courier Six? That metal fella from the pub? What was he doing here?" Loki asked as she looked around.

"He killed the monsters... and fixed my blade," Ais said as she gestured to the plant head not far off from her and at the sword in her hand.

"For forty-five million Valis," Tione added, while Loki whistled.

"It looks like quite a story to tell, how about you get a magic stone from that plant monster thing over there and then tell me and the rest of the Familia about it?" Loki suggested, the group agreeing with her.

* * *

An hour or so later, the entirety of Loki Familia gathered at their home base, the Twilight Manor. It was a huge structure built on a small area of land. Multiple tall towers overlapped and supported each other, with the middle one being the tallest. Inside of it, the whole Familia gathered in the dining area, with enough seats for every single member of the group.

"So, let's start from the beginning, tell us exactly what happened?" Loki said while Tione cleared her throat.

"We were walking together, me, Lefiya and Tiona along the street, when suddenly we saw this snake-like thing wreaking havoc upon the city," Tione started.

"So, I and Tione decided to stop it with our fists," Tiona continued. "However, we couldn't put a dent in it. It felt like were hitting a steel wall or something."

"How strong was it?" Finn asked.

"Level three at least, probably level four," Tione responded, while the Pallum bit his lip.

"What happened then, did Ais kill it?" Gareth asked while Ais shook her head.

"No, Courier Six, he… he saved me," Lefiya answered. Internally she was debating how she felt about the whole thing since she would rather have been saved by Ais. Still, it didn't sit well with her being saved and not even being able to thank her saviour properly, although the fact he asked money for it helped mitigate it.

"What a joke, you should have been better than that, you stupid fish food," Bete growled at Lefiya, who shrunk in front of accusation.

"That's enough, Bete. Still, it's quite surprising all things considered," Riveria chided, while others glared at him. The man did not strike her as the kind to willingly put himself in harm's way for others.

"It is," Tione agreed. "However, before he came, the monster somehow sensed Lefiya just as she was about to cast her spell and hit her with a green tentacle, knocking her out of the fight."

The elf winced as she put her hand over her abdomen. Thanks to the potions her wounds were already healed, but the phantom pain remained. "That monster then changed its form. It bloomed, like a flower, but with teeth," Tiona said, while the murmurs began to spread between the members of the group.

"I am assuming this is when Courier Six saved Lefiya, correct?" Riveria asked while the Amazon nodded.

"He jumped right from the roof, landed in front of Lefiya and held back the maw with his own two hands!" Tiona exclaimed. "Not even stopping, when other wines hit him and blood came out of his body." To her, it was like a scene from one of the books she read about heroes. She had always enjoyed reading about them and seeing someone do it in real life made her giddy all inside.

"Ho? That's pretty impressive," Gareth said, thinking just how strong the man was.

"Agreed, but I am assuming he didn't kill the monster on his own?" Finn asked.

"Ais came and killed the monster with a single blow," Tione replied, while the blond nodded.

"What happened then?" Anakitty Autumn asked. She was one of the cat people with black long hair and tail. She was wearing a black and white outfit, along with dark brown boots, her blue eyes focused on the Amazon.

"...The sword broke," Ais said as she gestured at the sword in her hand. "More monsters came."

"How many more came?" Loki asked.

"Three more to be exact," Tione replied. "The Courier then used that massive sword of his and easily cleaved them all in half one by one."

"So, he managed to kill three level-four monsters on his own, correct?" Loki asked while Tione nodded. "Hmm… He can't be lower than level three, probably level four at least. However, I have never heard of his name before at Denatus, so I can't say who is he. Chances are, he is one of the members of currently existing Familias and probably put on a disguise for some reason," Loki explained, while the members of her Familia looked between each other.

"What happened when he killed the monsters?" Gareth asked, curious about the mysterious man.

"Well, he sold us basic healing potion for Lefiya and charged us ten times its value," Tiona replied, Riveria narrowing her eyes at the greed man exhibited. "After that, he fixed Ais' sword with a rolling pin and charge us forty-five million Valis for it."

"What…?" Loki asked, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes opened slightly. Everyone else had a similar reaction as they tried to digest what they had just heard.

"How broken was the sword?" Finn asked, just as surprised as the rest.

"It shattered into more than dozen pieces and only handle remained," Tione explained.

"That's… impossible! There is no way you can do that!" Bete shouted, everyone for once agreeing with him.

"Normally I would agree, but we have all seen it with our own eyes," Tione replied, while Tiona, Lefiya, and Ais nodded.

"He put two weapons next to each other, asked us to look away and in the next second it was fixed!" Tiona exclaimed. "Loki, please, we need to get him to fix our weapons," She pleaded, while the goddess cupped her chin and smiled at her.

"I will see, what I can do," She replied, while Tiona beamed at her.

"Is that all?" Finn asked.

"Well, almost. Before he left, he told us to not to spread the knowledge about his skill and to send Loki a message. He said and I quote, 'How does it feel to have something so valuable in your grasp and yet not be able to claim it?'," She said and ended the story.

Loki blinked at that before she chuckled and smiled at the members of her group. "It seems like our friend is not the most welcoming one. I think we should pay him a visit, don't you think?" She grinned, while everyone either sighed or just smiled at their goddesses.

* * *

"Bloody hell, those plant monsters actually managed to hurt me, that sucks," The Courier grumbled to himself as he headed towards the pub.

The armour took the brunt of the damage, its durability still holding past ninety per cent. Some parts got a bit looser and there were a few dents here and there, but overall it was still in remarkably good shape. The reason for that was simple, Raul was kind enough to teach him how to maintain his gear, so it wouldn't lose its edge so soon. It saved him a ton of caps, something he was grateful for. It still didn't explain the quantity of blood that his body released each time an attack managed to break through his defences. It felt like he had a whole bathtub of blood in his body, if not more.

Still, one thing became painfully obvious, he wasn't invincible, not even close. Higher calibre bullets, lasers, plasma, especially of the higher quality could still hurt him, even while wearing armour. However, he didn't expect to be hurt in this world, especially not by some stupid plant thing. One thing he noticed during the fight was the power of the plants. While the smaller vines and fast but weak attacks could not pierce through his damage threshold and damage resistance, the big vine, the same one that knocked out Lefiya at full power dealt about as much damage as the gauss rifle to the chest, after all the reductions.

And after his encounter with the Minotaur, he was pretty sure he knew how powerful the adventurers and monsters would get as they levelled up. This was problematic since he could be forced to use power armour just to survive on the lower floors, that or drugs which he was trying to conserve at all points. Remnant's power armour reinforced with saturnite alloy was incredibly durable. Even a shoot to the head from Anti-Materiel rifle would barely deal any damage to him. However, strolling around in Orario in it was going to bring too much attention to him.

That was a problem, he could kill most people easily enough, even those from Loki Familia, but they could also hurt him, which was a problem. It didn't help that if they were to fight over and over again, they would level up and at one point be able to kill him easily enough. His hatred towards Falna and gods just raised a notch as they would become stronger and stronger, while he was stuck at the same level unless Think Tank was to develop even better implants.

If there was any consolation in this whole situation was his versatility, experience, and pragmatism. He wasn't bound by the same kind of moral codes or chivalry as some tended to be. Not to mention, the power fist to the groin was very efficient at taking care of most human opponents. And that's not counting things such as sniping while being one hundred per cent invisible or just straight out laying mines for his opponents to trigger.

At this rate though, he needed to vent his frustrations on something or someone. Turning towards the Dungeon he went inside to earn some more money, kill a few monsters and think things through. The next few hours were spent hacking monsters one by one until the sun finally set and he made his way back to the Hostess of Fertility.

Just like previous times, it was filled with adventurers, the waitresses going back and forth between the tables. Looking around, he found the one he was looking for, Ryuu and waved at her. She turned towards him, her eyes spreading out slightly before she smiled slightly and let out a sigh of relief.

"Good evening, mister Six. Are you all right? You weren't hurt were you?" She asked as she looked at the armour seeing no blood whatsoever. He learned his lesson after Minotaur caked him in its blood last time. All his armours were now covered in a thin layer of water-repellant substance, which meant that even things like blood and dirt barely stuck to him.

"I am fine, thank you for asking. I trust neither you nor anyone else was hurt, I imagine?" He asked.

"That would be the case, yes," She replied.

"Glad to hear it. Now if you excuse me, I am going to head to my room tonight. I don't feel like eating," He replied. The elf bit her lip in response, but she let him through, sending one last glance towards him, before returning to her work. The Courier didn't waste any more time and fell on his bed, letting his body relax and fall asleep in an instant.

* * *

Rays of sunny greeted him, blinding him for a moment before he rolled out of the bed and began stretching himself. His joints popped in protest, feeling a bit out of the loop after yesterday's events. Freya, Plant Monsters, Loki Familia, just to name a few. Why were things always getting complicated, he had no bloody clue.

With a sigh, he made his way downstairs and headed to the bottom floor, nodding at the waitresses and the owner in the process. "Good morning."

"Morning, how you feeling there?" Mia asked with a grin, while he shrugged.

"Not so bad, thank you for asking," He replied and sat at one of the free tables.

This time it was Ryuu who brought him breakfast. "Here you go, Mister Six."

"Thank you kindly, miss Lion," He said, while the elf nodded, before she got back to work, glancing at him as she left. This time the breakfast consisted of cereals with honey, some fruits, pancakes. It was relatively light, but still full of nutrition.

Once he was finished, he gathered the empty utensils and handed over the plates to Anya, before putting on his helmet and heading towards the entrance. "I am heading out," He said, while everyone turned towards.

"Have a safe trip!" The waitresses said, while Mia just nodded at him.

"So, did you enjoy yourselves on your date, yesterday?" Chloe teased as she turned towards Ryuu, making sure the Courier wasn't in the vicinity.

"It wasn't a date," She denied, though she seemed a bit embarrassed.

"Really, nya? No date, then what was it, nya?" Anya asked.

"An outing," She replied.

"You should really be more assertive, Ryuu. If you keep being passive, somebody else will scoop out Six from you," Lunoire said, while Ryuu turned towards her.

"...Perhaps," She said, knowing full well that what Lunoire said was true. However, what she felt towards the man wasn't love, or at least she didn't see it that way. He was kind albeit a bit annoying. He could also cook well and fought the monster to let Syr and Bell escape. However, there was something hidden beneath that demeanour, beneath the bandages. "But… we still don't know what kind of person he is."

That seemed to have worked, as the atmosphere changed in an instant. "He is hiding something, nya," Anya said.

"You have noticed that too. There is something odd about him, besides the fact that he stays here despite being a high-level adventurer," Lunoire said.

"It makes no sense too," Chloe added, everyone turned towards her. "The only reason he would stay here instead of his Familia would be if he got into argument with them or something similar."

"I wonder… What is he trying to hide?" Syr asked nobody in particular as she turned towards the door where she last saw the man.

* * *

The Courier went outside the pub and headed towards the Babel, only to see a sight that stopped him in his tracks. Loki and some of the strongest members in her Familia were heading towards him, including Ais, Bete, Finn, Riveria, Tiona, Tione, Gareth, and Lefiya. Any hopes that they were going to walk past each other were dashed in an instant as the goddesses waved towards him.

"Hi there, Six!" She greeted.

He could only groan internally as the goddesses walked up to him. "Hello, goddesses Loki. Is there something you need from me?" He asked.

"Why so tense, I only wanted to say hello," She said and opened her eyes slightly.

"That's a lie and you know it," He countered, while the goddesses chuckled. In the meantime, the rest of the group decided to join them. Some like Tiona smiled at him, while others simply nodded towards him, which he returned. One thing he noticed was a giant weapon resting on the Amazon's back covered in a white sheet.

"Yeah, I suppose it is. So, do you have some time to spare? We have got some questions to ask you," She replied, while the Courier groaned in response.

"Son of a… Unfortunately, as much as I would like to say no, it would be a lie. So to answer your question, yes, I have got a few minutes to spare," He replied, while the goddesses grinned at him.

"Great to hear, now how about we go to the Hostess of Fertility here?" She motioned towards the entrance.

"I was hoping for somewhere more private if you catch my drift?" He asked while Loki chuckled.

"Sure, sure, I will even invite you to our manor, how about it?" She asked.

"Loki, is that really wise?" Riveria interjected. Inviting members from other Familia to their homes was not something she wanted to do.

"I agree with her on that one," He said, while Riveria nodded, glad he understood the manner. Truth was, he was hoping to avoid going into what could potentially be a trap.

"Fine, fine, not manor then. Did you have something else in mind?" She asked while the Courier cupped his chin.

"The Guild seems reasonable, there are private areas where you can talk safely and it's neutral ground for both of us. How about it?" He suggested.

"Sounds good to me, don't you think, Loki?" Finn asked, the suggestion something he could work with.

"Very well then, partner. Let's head out there and get this show on the road!" Loki commanded, before the entire group headed towards the guild.

* * *

"So, then, what would you like to know?" He asked as he made himself comfortable on a puff. The rest of the Loki Familia surrounded him from all sides, sitting around a circular table, each with a puff of their own.

"Let's start with the obvious, how did you fix Ais' sword?" Loki asked.

"Trade secret," He replied, the four girls he had met before sighing in response.

"I expected that one," Tiona said.

"Same here," Tione added.

"Oh come on, pretty please?" Loki tried.

"No, won't tell," He refused.

"Loki, you can't expect others to tell you about their development abilities or skills," Riveria said, while the goddesses sighed.

"I know, I know, it was worth a shot though. Anyway, back to the business, join my Familia!" Loki ordered while the man shook his head in response.

"Not interested," He refused again.

"Oh don't be like that. If I remember correctly you told us that you were fine with working with us?" She tried.

"WITH being the keyword, not for you. I am fine with going to the Dungeon with you and helping you kill monsters, but I have got no intention of becoming your personal handyman or joining you for that matter," He explained.

"Mister Six, may I ask, why do you not wish to join our Familia?" Riveria asked, trying to understand the motives behind his decision.

"We have already had this talk before, but long story short, I am happy with my current situation and while I am flattered by your proposal, I have to decline," He replied.

"I can understand that, but why do you not wish to fix our weapons as well, seeing how you would be compensated for your services?" She asked.

"Gods, that all you have to know," He replied. The elf nodded as she understood what he meant by that. If the knowledge became widely spread, the gods would do everything in their power to satisfy their curiosity.

"Still, your secret would be safe with us. I am sure we could work some kind of arrangements," Finn said, while the man cupped his chin, thinking it through.

"Please Six, don't be like that," Tiona pleaded and used at him one of the most dangerous weapons in the world, puppy eyes. He gritted his teeth, doing his best to resist the look the girl was giving him. "Pretty please?"

"...Still no, but just out of curiosity, if I were to work with you what kind of agreement are we talking about?" He replied while the girl beamed at him.

"Does it mean you will do that?" She asked while the man shook his head.

"I have never said so, but the least I can do is hear you out, it's the basic courtesy," He replied, while the girl smiled even wider.

"Progress!" Loki shouted while everyone rolled her eyes at the outburst. "So, partner, how about this. You would be paid almost the same amount as the fixing of the weapon would cost if we were to take it to other Familia, what do you think?"

"I should charge you more though, seeing how I can do in an instant and on the fly," He countered, while Loki choked from the news.

"Don't be like that, it's cheaper to fix weapons using your skill than taking it to the proper smith, isn't it?" She countered.

"True, but you are the one who wants my help, not vice versa. In fact, I could make my prices so absurd, you would rather deal with Hephaestus and such," He answered.

"Gah!" Loki choked as what the man said was true. "Still, don't you think it's a bit pointless? You are basically denying a chance to earn some Valis."

"Perhaps...However, I don't really care about earning money that way. I can always go to the Dungeon, kill some monsters and earn money that way. Slower yes, but I prefer it that way," He explained. That seemed to have done it, as Loki tried to figure what else could she say to make the man change his opinion.

Ais could understand the man, she was similar to him in some ways. Always going to the Dungeon, pushing herself further to become stronger. Money was important, but there was a threshold she wasn't willing to cross. "...Do you dislike us?" She asked.

He turned towards her and shook his head. "No, I do not dislike you, I just don't want to get involved with you."

"...Why not?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

"You guys and girls look like a whole can of worms waiting to be opened," He said, while the blonde blinked.

"What's that supposed to mean, asshole?" Bete growled while the man sighed.

"It means that he sees us as nothing more but trouble," Finn explained, before turning towards the Courier. "What makes you think that?"

"Experience, I have a feeling that you are going to get into trouble and I want none of that. I have got my personal goals I want to accomplish with my own two hands," He explained, while the members of the Loki Familia looked between each other. "Still, that doesn't mean, I am not willing to compromise."

That seemed to have done as the group turned towards him. "And what do you mean by that, mister Six?" Gareth asked, not expecting the response.

"I can fix your weapons and help you out in the Dungeon or with quests, you name it. In exchange, you will not tell anyone about my skill outside of your Familia, unless I give you my permission, and you will also stop trying to invite me to your Familia. Two, the weapons will be fixed and for the same price as they would if you took it somebody else. Last but not least, any quest or expedition I am part of, five per cent of the profit goes to me," He said.

"That's… better than I expected," Gareth replied. He expected the man to be stubborn to the boot, not even willing to compromise. "Still, you drive hard bargain, friend."

"Don't be like that, give us at least twenty per cent discount," Loki complained, while the Courier snorted.

"Nope, no discount. If you want a discount go to Hephaestus and come to an agreement with her," He denied.

"Pretty please?" She tried.

"What part of no, do you not understand?" He grumbled while giving the goddess a deadpan.

"If I may," Riveria interjected, gaining the attention of the group. "May I ask what would it take to lower the prices for the repairs?"

"Hmm... let me think," He replied, while Loki gave Riveria a thumbs up. A wicked grin appeared on his face as he turned towards the elf. "Well, there might be one thing that you can do. If you can do it, I will give you a ten per cent discount on any and all repairs."

"So, what is it?" Finn asked, a tinge of suspicion appearing in the back of his head.

"An arm-wrestling contest. The strongest one in your Familia against me, if you win, I will give you the discount," He explained.

"Deal!" Loki exclaimed and extended her hand. The Courier then proceeded to shake it, as much as he wanted not to. "Gareth, can you?"

"Hah, sure, Loki," Gareth said as he sat down in front of the Courier and prepared his own arm. The man grinned under the mask. It would be a good opportunity to test out how powerful were the high-level adventurers.

He grabbed the man's hand and gestured to the goddess. "On your mark."

Loki grinned before she raised her hand in the air and began the countdown. "Ready, set, go!"

The Courier used his entire strength to push the dwarf's hand, but no matter how hard he tried, it didn't even budge. Gareth smiled and began pushing, easily overpowering the Courier, whose hand got closer and closer to the table. The man began to sweat, not expecting this kind of result as he desperately debated whether or not to use his kinetic implants, but seeing how easily outclassed he was, he could only watch as his hand his the table with a thud, cheers of the Loki Familia echoing around the building, as he messaged the sore limb.

"That was a good effort, let me tell you," Dwarf said, while offering his hand. The Courier looked at it, sighed and returned the handshake.

"It was, you are way stronger than I anticipated, mister Gareth," He said, while the dwarf nodded.

However, deep inside, the Courier was in a bit of shook. Back in the wasteland, he could do almost anything, easily passing all kinds of checks, without much of a problem. In this world, it didn't happen, even when he used his entire natural strength to win, it still wasn't enough. Sure, he was strong enough to send a deathclaw flying and had a lot of versatility but when it came to raw speed and power, the Loki Familia had him beat.

"Glad to have you on the team," Loki said, gaining the attention of the group.

"I suppose, now is there a weapon you want me to fix?" He asked while Tiona raised her hand into the air.

"Mine!" She exclaimed before she took the weapon out and put it on the table. It was a large double-bladed sword, made from the finest adamantite. However, one of the blades looked like someone poured acid on top of it, leaving it a shadow of its former self. She also put a rolling pin next to it.

"What the hell happened to it?" The Courier asked as he inspected the weapon in front of him.

"On floor fifty we have encountered giant caterpillar monsters that spat acid and damaged most of the weapons in our possession," Finn explained, while the Courier glanced towards him.

"I see, but what's the rolling pin for?" He asked as he gestured at the item in front of him.

"To fix a sword, why else would I bring it?" Tiona asked, not sure what he was getting it.

"I can't fix a two-handed weapon like this with a rolling pin, you know?" He pointed out, while the mood of the Amazon dropped in an instant.

"You can't… fix it?" She asked while the Courier shook his head.

"It's not like this, even my skill has got limitations. I need something vaguely similar to it, something like another two-handed sword or something. After all, you don't use a rolling pin as a two-handed weapon, do you?" He explained.

"I see… can you wait here, while I go buy one?" Tiona asked, while the Courier nodded and she headed out to buy a weapon from Babel.

"So, anything else you need from me?" He asked.

"Y-yes…," Lefiya muttered, everyone, turning towards her. "Thank you for saving my life back then."

"You're welcome," He answered with a shrug, while the elf smiled at him.

"So, you can fix anything assuming they work in a similar way?" Loki asked, curious about the details of the skill.

"More or less," He answered.

"That's pretty impressive, never heard of skill like this before," She said, while the man shrugged.

"Won't your Familia mind you helping us out?" Finn asked since they forgot about this tiny detail.

"It won't be a problem," He replied. The pallum wanted to ask why but refrained from doing so. For all he knew, the man could have fallen out with his Familia and didn't want to talk about it.

"Is there a reason why you hide behind titles and that tin can, asshole?" Bete asked, the Courier snorting at the petty insult.

"Wow, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" He asked while the werewolf growled at him, standing up from his stool.

"Bete, that's enough," Finn said and with hesitation, the werewolf returned to his seat.

"And to answer your question, plenty of. However, I am not a wanted adventurer, if this is what you are asking for," He replied, while Loki nodded confirming his words.

Any questions that could have been asked were silenced as Tiona returned holding a simple two-handed steel sword in her hands. "Will it do?"

"Yep, it will do just fine, just fine," He commended before he received the sword, placed the two weapons next to each other and shouted, "Abracadabra!"

Nothing happened, while Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya chuckled at the gesture and even Ais smiled slightly, everyone else looking confused at the situation.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Riveria asked, not sure what just happened.

"No, it wasn't. I just wanted to mess with you. Now turn around for a moment, will you?" He asked while the four females did as told, the rest of the group following in their footsteps.

"So, how long is it going to…?" Loki started.

"Done," He exclaimed, everyone, turning towards him.

The sword was now in the same form it used to be not too long ago. Even though they heard of the skill, ale present members who were seeing it for the first time were shocked, to say the least. Finn, Riveria, and Gareth were just staring at him like he grew a second head, while Bete's and Loki's jaws dropped to the ground, their eyes spread wide open.

"Urga!" Tiona exclaimed and grabbed the sword, hugging it like a baby.

"Impressive, isn't it? Now a question, how much would have the repair cost and how much did you pay for the sword?" He asked.

"One hundred twenty million Valis for Urga and twenty thousand Valis for the sword," She answered.

"So, you owe me one hundred eight million Valis for the job. Twelve million Valis saved, not bad, huh?" He said, though internally he was cursing himself for giving the group the discount at all. But the deal was a deal.

Then Tiona put away the sword and gave him a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you so much!"

He tensed, expecting for the Amazon to try to do something to him. But as time went on, he noticed she didn't try to stab him or tear off his armour to rape him. Slowly, but surely the woman let him go and put him on the ground.

"You're welcome," He said and with a chuckle ruffled her hair. The woman smiled and giggled, the atmosphere much more relaxed than it was seconds ago. "Now then, you know where to find me if you need any more repairs. Have a nice day, Loki Familia."

"You too," Tione said, Ais nodded, and everyone bid their goodbyes watching the man leave through the front door.

"It seems like it worked quite well, don't you think, Loki?" Finn asked, glad everything went well in the end.

"Yep, I was worried there for a second. However, it seems like Six here is a bit of a softie on the inside, beneath all that menacing demeanour," She answered, while the rest of the group smiled at the comment.

"He is, isn't he?" Tiona said and smiled, her eyes set on the man's back.

To the Amazon, the man was different than what she expected in the beginning. Cold, indifferent to name a few. However, after seeing him protect Lefiya and fix Ais' sword, she came to a conclusion, it was more of a mask than anything else. Tiona wasn't the smartest girl in the world, she knew that much, but even she could pick up on things every now and then. After all, the Courier had been nothing but cordial this entire time.


	9. Chapter 9

Leaving the Loki Familia behind him, he headed towards the Dungeon to get some money, even though he had at least one hundred million Valis waiting for him, once Ais and Tiona brought the money necessary to pay him back for the effort. He would not let them get away without paying, after all, it was bad for business and his reputation as a ruthless mercenary.

With that out of the way, he headed towards the Dungeon, intent on getting to floor 10 at the bare minimum. Descending towards the Dungeon, gaining an occasional look now and then, he made his way into the depths of the structure. He considered going out and carefully exploring floors, which he omitted last time he came, but the payout was not worth it. It was better to go deeper floors sooner rather than later, not to mention the monsters would appear one way or another and it's not like there was a plasma caster waiting for him in the Dungeon.

As he made his way down, some of the monsters attacked him, only to be killed in an instant. One of the new ones was a killer ant, cutely named 'rookie killer'. It wasn't that strong on its own, but it could call for reinforcements, which made it dangerous in its own right. Still, compared to the plant things he fought before, the monsters were at least three times weaker damage and durability wise. It didn't help that their speed and reflexes were also much weaker, making them easy prey for most of the adventurers in Orario.

Reaching floor seven went without a hitch, things staying the same until he reached floor eight, which looked different compared to the previous ones. The amount and size of rooms increased, while the length between hallways became shorter, making it look more like a maze it was meant to represent. Moss covered the brown-coloured walls, while short plain grass crinkled beneath his shoes. The light from the phosphorescence above similar to light from the sun.

One of the key differences were the monsters, while their selection didn't change compared to the previous floors, the ones located here were slightly stronger than the ones above him. Still no match for him, but the fact that the enemies could change in strength depending on the floor was intriguing. As he finished the last of the monsters and made his way down to the floor ten he could feel his eyebrow raise from the sight in front of him.

The structure of the floor looked similar to the floors eight and nine, however, the light shining from above became reminiscent of a morning mist. That's not counting for the mist itself, which made him pause for a moment, after all, he didn't expect to see the mist in the Dungeon in the first place. It made the visibility worse, but thanks to thermal imaging he should be fine.

Making his way through it, he noticed a peculiar detail about the place, there were dark tree-like structures strewn all over the terrain, which confused him. Why were there here? He had no clue, but a sound coming from the mist made him focus back on his surroundings. A three-meter tall monster came from the mist, with an old hide acting like a shirt.

It had a pig-like face with a massive head, belly the size of a barrel, with two stubby legs, two long arms and green skin. He read about the monster, it was known as Orc and if he remembered correctly it could use some kind of weapon. The monster roared, before it grabbed the nearest trunk, tearing it from the ground and turning it into a makeshift club.

The monster then charged forward, expecting to turn the Courier into a pancake. Seeing it, he prepared his guard, bringing his fists close to his face and waited for the monster. The club swung from down on top of his head, hitting him right in the arms. Then at that moment, the Courier used Scribe's counter on the monster and snapped its left arm, making it drop the weapon with a squeal. Then with another punch, he turned the monster into a pile of guts, blood, and gore all strewed across the landscape.

It was disappointing, to say the least, but still, the monsters were now getting strong enough to survive his bare hands, which was pretty impressive all things considered. It seemed like he had to start using the sword on his back to kill them in one hit. With a sigh, he drew the weapon and went on to explore the rest of the floor. On his way there, he came across a group of monsters, which he hadn't fought before.

It consisted of twenty Imps and five Bad Bats, with the former being a vaguely humanoid monster with long arms reaching to its ankles, dark skin and black eyes. The second one was similar to a bat, except with sharp fangs and with a sonic attack able to disrupt concentration. The bats decided to attack first using their sonic waves against him, he waited for the attack to connect and found himself blinking as the sound barely tickled him.

Compared to the devastating Lakelurk attack, which could ignore armour, those things were a joke. They didn't even manage to penetrate his armour, being more annoying than anything else. Even when the imps attacked with their sharp claws and the bats swooped in, the armour held strong, the Courier not even reacting at their attacks.

With another sigh, he swung his sword and with a single strike killed a quarter of the group, the monsters shrieking in terror. With a shake of his head, he got down to work, killing the monsters and leaving no magic stone behind. Once he was done, he decided to head back and sell the drops he gained, three floors being more than enough for a single day. Good thing he had unlimited inventory otherwise, he wouldn't be able to carry all the items and magic stones without becoming an over-encumbered man.

* * *

Going back to the surface, he found the Sun setting down in the distance. It was time to head back to the pub, but first, it was time to sell the drops to the Guild. Looking around, he made his way to one of the cashiers, Eina being nowhere in sight. He turned the bag upside down, kilograms of magic stones dropping on the tray. The man behind it looked surprised, but he carefully counted each one of the drop items, before handing over three hundred thousand Valis.

With a nod, the Courier packed himself up and went outside right towards the Hostess of Fertility. Sitting at one of the tables in the corner, he waited for one of the waitresses to come. This time it was Lunoire, who smiled at him.

"What would you like to eat, mister Six?" She asked.

"Well, not sure, is there something you can recommend?" He asked.

"How about a hamburger? It comes with fresh vegetables, cheese, tomatoes, and beef," She explained.

"Very well, you have convinced me well enough," The Courier replied before the waitresses went back to the counter.

As he waited for the dish to arrive, he glanced at Ryuu and gave her a brief nod, not wanting to distract her from the job. She returned it, before heading out to other customers. Not too long after, the dish came along with some fresh lemonade. The Courier smiled beneath his helmet, nodded at the waitresses before he took it off and started to eat.

While some of the customers sent whispers and glances at him, the vast majority enjoyed the company of their fellows instead. Finishing the meal in front of him, he put on his helmet, paid for the meal and went back to his room, locking the door behind him. It was a day full of activities, but there was one problem he still had, fixing the weapons.

While he could do that in the pub, it would be stupid, to say the least. He doubted Mia Grand would appreciate having a workshop here in the pub. So, that meant, he needed a separate workspace, which would also allow him to fix the weapons without drawing the attention of every single adventurer in the Orario.

It was something he wanted to leave for tomorrow, when he had time, no need to rush to floor fifty or something. Making himself comfortable on the bed, he pondered just what kind of mess did he get himself into it? Still, overall he preferred Loki over Freya any time of the day. Since the former, unlike the latter didn't creep him the hell out or make him shiver. Although for some reason, he had a feeling the goddesses would not let him off the hook that easily.

* * *

Freya was sitting in her chair, a glass of wine in her hand as she watched the Orario from one of the highest floors of the Babel. Her mind was busy, as she considered all available options to her, her target, Courier Six. Last time they met, he set off an inferno in her heart and made her crave him even more than before.

And yet, what he said to her last time still rang in her head. Slut, meaningless love, nothing to offer that would make him hers. It was unexpected, but it did nothing to dissuade the goddesses, in fact, it did quite the opposite as she tried to figure out how to handle this peculiar problem. She couldn't charm him, giving him money or gifts would not make him fall in love with her, at best he would act good, so she would continue giving him the gifts.

One option was to harass him and make his life so miserable, he would offer his love to her just to make her stop. However, she didn't want that, she didn't want this kind of love, she wanted to receive his love willingly or using her own skills, not by resorting to dirty tactics. Not to mention, she had a feeling the man would fight back and not simply take it.

She might have been goddesses of love, but she was also a goddess of war and knew more about it than most other gods. It could possibly be done, but it would have left a bitter taste in her mouth, assuming it worked in the first place.

She turned towards Ottar, one of her devoted members, standing silently behind her. "Ottar, tell me, how would you claim a woman that refuses your all advances?"

"...If there was a woman that refused my advances, goddesses. I would have tried to reach some kind of common ground with her, be it a mutually beneficial task, going to the Dungeon as a team or even a simple dance. If there is such a person, I would be more than happy to help you with him or her," He said, the goddess smiling at him.

"A common ground, huh?" She muttered to herself, thinking of the gods who she could use to help with her problem, a dangerous smile spread out on her lips.

* * *

The Courier woke up, blinking owlishly at the Sun pouring through the rooms inside his room. He really didn't like leaving the bed just yet, it was way too comfortable. But… he had things to do, so with a groan, he stood up, before taking care of the basic hygiene and heading downstairs to get something to eat. Everyone greeted him as usual before he made his way to one of the free tables and made himself comfortable. This time it was Ryuu, who walked up to him, nodding curtly at him.

"So, mister Six, do you have a preference regarding today's breakfast?" She asked.

"Not really no, I will trust your judgment on this one," He said, while the elf nodded before she walked up to Mia Grand.

The Courier waited patiently for the dish to arrive, his eyes watching as the waitresses prepared the pub and served a few customers here and there, mostly males. He smiled beneath the helmet, enjoying peace and quiet, something he came to appreciate over the years.

With the anticipation of a child, he waited for his dish to arrive, Ryuu coming up with a plate in her hands. "Here you go," She said.

"Thank you kindly, miss Lyon," He said and nodded at her, before she went towards other tables, glancing at him a bit longer than usual.

This time the meal consisted of pancakes, filled with vegetables, meat and such, coupled with a tea to make it easier to digest. With a smile, the Courier picked up the utensils and began slowly eating the dish in front of him, savouring the taste of it and leaving no breadcrumbs behind.

One of the things he disliked more than anything else was wasting good food, especially since finding good edible food in the desert often involved harvesting wild fruits or just killing raiders and taking what they had on their bodies. _Just as good as usual, I wonder, who cooked it? May, or Miss Grand?_ He glanced towards the owner, standing behind the counter, who turned her attention towards him.

He gestured to the dish in front of him discretely, the woman shaking her head slightly before motioning the door behind her. The courier nodded in response, before focusing back at the meal in front of him. Once he was done, he put on the helmet, handed the dishes over to Ryuu and walked up to the owner of Hostess of Fertility.

"Is there something I can do for you, mister Six?" She asked with a grin.

"Just one thing, keep up the good work. Eating here has become one my favourite actives in Orario," He admitted, while the woman grinned even further.

"I will keep it in mind and tell May when I get to her. Still, are you soliciting my employees, mister Six?" Mia asked while the Courier gasped.

"Why I would never!" He said dramatically before the two ended up sharing a laugh.

"Heh, do me a favour and don't die in the Dungeon, I like regular customers," She said.

"I will keep that in mind, now then, have a nice day, everyone," He said before he walked up to the entrance of the pub. "I am heading out."

"Have a safe trip!" The employees and the owner said, watching him leave through the door, while he nodded towards them.

* * *

Now that was done, the Courier began his trek towards Twilight Manor, where Loki Familia resided. He wanted to receive the compensation for the repairs, but also find a place where he could conduct repairs in peace. No reason to have more people know. A while later he found himself standing at the entrance, two guards watching him intently.

"Is there a reason you are standing here, stranger?" One of them asked.

"I was hoping to meet with Ais Wallenstein or Tiona Hyrule, could you fetch them?" He asked.

"And why would we do that?" The other one asked.

"They kind of owe me some money for fixing their weapons," He replied, which seemed to have worked, the two guards glancing between each other.

"Wait here for a moment," One of them said, before heading inside, while the Courier waited patiently. A minute later, Loki, Ais, Tiona and everyone else he met yesterday came out, their attention right at him. He nodded at them, some of the members smiling, others nodding, except Bete who just scowled.

"Hi there, Six. What brings you here today?" Loki asked while the man rolled his eyes.

"To get paid of course," He replied, while the goddess chuckled.

"Straight to the point, eh? Sure, we got your money and quite a lot more weapons to fix for you," She replied, while Tiona and Ais walked up to him each of them caring a bag filled with money.

"Here you go, Six. Thanks for fixing Urga," Tiona said and handed over the bag.

"...Thank you for fixing the rapier," Ais said and handed over the bag.

He took them, weighted them, before putting them back inside his duffel bag and making them disappear. "Pleasure doing business with you. Now, Loki, regarding the repairs, I was hoping to ask for a favour," He said, while the goddesses' eyes opened slightly.

"Oh, and what would that be?" She asked.

"Simple really, I was hoping you could arrange some kind of workshop for me to perform repairs, doing it in the middle of the street is something I would like to avoid," He explained.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Tell you what, I will see what I can do and then get back to you. It shouldn't take long, but in exchange, I want a bigger discount," She argued.

"Not gonna happen. You already saved twelve million Valis. The least you can do is provide something as basic as a workshop in Orario. If you don't like it, you can take it to Hephaestus," He argued, his arms crossed, while Loki chuckled.

"Right, right. Fine, but we are going to bring a lot of weapons and armour for you to fix when we set it up," She said, while the Courier chuckled.

"I wouldn't have expected otherwise," He replied. "Now then, I am heading off into the Dungeon, so if you need something else, leave me a message at the pub, okay?"

"Sure, sure," Loki said, grinning at him all the way. "By the way, don't you have your own workshop if you can do repairs like this in the first place?"

"Never needed it before," He replied, which wasn't a lie.

"Hmm… fine, I won't pry, but I am still curious how did you get it anyway?" She asked.

"Trade secret," He replied, the goddesses smiling at him. "Now then, have a nice day, everyone."

"You too," Loki said. Everyone said their goodbyes, watched the Courier leave.

"So, Ais how much did you save anyway on the repairs?" Tiona asked, curious about the cost of the weapon.

"...Five million Valis," She replied, the Amazon surprised.

"Not bad. So we've saved over fifteen million Valis on repairs?" Tione asked. She knew the weapon was expensive but nowhere near that.

"It seems like you have made yourself quite a good deal, Loki, didn't you?" Riveria asked, smiling at the news. Her eyes glancing at man's back as he left them behind.

"You bet I did! If only he would join our Familia, things would be perfect!" She complained, while her Familia laughed at her antics, except for Ais, who only smiled instead. She managed to return the weapon in a perfect state, which Goibniu very much appreciated. Little Ais inside of her was happy knowing that she did the right thing.

* * *

Making his way to the Dungeon, the Courier felt his mood improved by a mile. He got a lot of money now, more than he expected when he got into the mess. He could easily afford a warehouse to store all the necessary materials for the space shuttle. It was still a long way off, but he made quite a bit of progress.

He still had to buy the necessary materials and find a proper site, possibly inside the Orario, so he could have easy access to it. Of course, he would only use it as a private workshop to create all the necessary components, separate from Loki's Familia. He didn't need them coming there, especially if they saw some of the technologies used during production.

Heading inside the Dungeon, he made his way down to the tenth floor, killing all the monsters that stood in his way. Only when he arrived at the floor eleven he came across a new monster, that actually made him stop in his tracks. It was big, standing four meters tall, with orange scales covering it and heat coming out of in waves.

It was an infant dragon, a powerful monster estimated to be a level two, a bane of low-level parties... and a joke. The Courier could barely contain his disappointment at the monster standing right in front of him, it's teeth bared as it charged forward intent on killing the man. For a supposedly powerful dragon, the monster was weak, comparable to some of the stronger geckos at best.

He could see other adventurers running away from it, the dragon breathing in, before it unleashed a wave of fire towards him, setting his armour ablaze. The Courier burned, his body covered in flames, standing still in front of the beast as it roared victoriously, expecting the man to burn to death. Instead, the monster stared, as the flames went out, leaving the man untouched, his armour slightly brighter than before.

"...You know, I expected something more from a dragon," The Courier said and let out a sigh. He had been set on fire before, multiple times as well. Fire geckos, flamers, incinerators, you name it. The fire the dragon used was at best comparable to a fire gecko with a bigger radius. He then drew his sword, before charging forward and delivering one slice towards the monster's neck, killing it an instant, it's head flying before it landed a couple of feet away from the rest of the body.

With the monster out of the way, he collected the magic stone, bigger than the ones he collected before. Then he set out once again, his goal floor 13. On his way there, he came across new kinds of monsters, such as hard armoured, silverback, wyvern and a battle boar.

The first one was an armadillo monster with a hard shell comparable to a suit of reinforced leather armour. The second one as a large monkey monster, covered in white fur with silver fur down the middle. It was strong enough to throw boulders towards him, an impressive feat on its own, but nowhere near a level of even ordinary deathclaw. The wyvern, on the other hand, had pink scales, two wings, and a long tail. The battle boar was just a massive boar standing two meters in height.

With that out of the way, he reached floor thirteen and decided to head back home and come back later. While a part of him wanted to go to the deepest floors right now, he wanted to explore the Dungeon at his own pace. After all, once he left this dimension and headed back to the Mojave, he would have nothing left, except some souvenirs, a couple of photos perhaps and his memories.

Only after he got out of the Dungeon and noticed that it was getting late, the sun about to set. He didn't realize how much time he spent exploring. While the dungeon was claustrophobic, not being able to see the sun, he wasn't afraid. The adventurers got used to it over time, plus it was far easier to survive in the Dungeon than in the Divide with all the Tunnelers and Marked Men running around the damned place.

Making his way to the Hostess of Fertility, he sat at one of the free tables, waiting for one of the waitresses to arrive. To his surprise, it was Ryuu who decided to take his order, despite the fact that she did so in the morning. "Good evening, Miss Lyon," He greeted.

"Good evening, Mister Six. Can I take your order?" She asked.

"I would like a mackerel with vegetables and a jug of water if you would be so kind," He answered.

"Very well, please wait here a moment," She replied before heading back to the counter with the order.

The Courier watched as the waitresses went around the area, serving the customers, each of them with a professional smile on their face, except Ryuu that is. He found it amusing, how stoic the woman was, she really should cheer up a bit, or at least that's what Courier thought. A couple of minutes later, she returned with and put it on the table.

"Here you go," She said, while the Courier nodded at her, before taking off his helmet, putting it to the side and digging into the dish.

The elf went back to the other customers, her eyes lingering on the Courier for a moment. She didn't know what to think of the man just yet. He was strong, that much was certain, able to fight a Barbarian on his own. The fact that he protected Bell and Syr from the monster, allowing them to escape meant he had a heart in the right place. However, she wanted to see more, proof perhaps of his true nature, her eyes tracing back to the same hand he shook.

* * *

Waking up once more, the Courier wasted no time in getting himself prepared for the upcoming visit to the Dungeon. He quickly ate the breakfast at the pub, before heading towards the Dungeon, saying his goodbyes to everyone in the process. He had one goal for today, reach floor 16 and then come back.

Making his way to the Dungeon, he went past the Guild, having nothing to there at the moment. Nahza hadn't reported any requests for the ingredients and he was fine with that. Reaching floor twelve proved to be pretty easy, the monsters being the exact same he met before, none of them posing a threat.

This changed when he reached floor 13, coming across three new types of monsters, including hell hounds, almiraj and dungeon worms. The first one was a dog monster, able to shoot flames from its mouth. The second one was a rabbit monster with white fur and a horn. And last but not least was the worm, which was basically an oversized worm with teeth.

The group that attacked him, consisted of three hell hounds, six almiraj and three dungeon worms. However, the monsters stood no chance against Blade of the West, their bodies cleaved in half. Even the hell hounds couldn't do anything, their breath not able to pierce through man's defences, easily fighting back, despite his whole body being covered in flames.

Killing them was easy enough, though he still had to avoid other adventurers, which were becoming less numerous on the lower floors, than on the upper ones. However, as he descended deeper, he came across another type of monster he had never fought before. The first one was a Minotaur, similar to the one that attacked him in the first place. The other one was a lygerfang, basically a tiger monster, but nowhere near as dangerous as the bloody night stalker, which could camouflage and swallow humans whole.

Once he reached floor sixteen, he decided to call it a day and made his way back to the surface, swinging by the Guild on his way back. Once again Eina was nowhere to be seen, though it was probably due to a fact she finished her shift earlier before he left the Dungeon.

Wasting no more time, he sold off all the drop items, before heading back to the hostess of Fertility. Once inside, he sat at one of the free tables and waited for one of the waitresses to arrive. This time it was Syr, who came to take his order.

"What would like to eat today, mister Six?" She asked.

"I would like a steak with vegetables if you would be so kind," He replied, while the waitresses nodded before heading back to get his order.

In the meantime, the Courier watched as the employees bustled around, Anya, Lunoire, Ryuu, Syr and Chloe. Their movements were graceful, fluid, full of experience. It brought him a chuckle when some of the more horny customers tried to touch the waitresses, only to be thrown out, not knowing how to behave. However, they were more of a rarity than anything else. The rest of the adventurers were satisfied with good food, nice company and having a pretty waitress coming up to take their orders.

"Here is your order," Syr said.

"Thank you kindly, miss Flova," He said, but before he dug in, there was something he wanted to know. "Miss Flova, may I ask you a question?"

"I don't see why not," She replied, her eyebrow raised.

"Now, I hope you don't mind, but why do work here anyway? Out of sheer curiosity," The Courier asked. The woman here was different from the rest, weaker. Which begged the question, why did the pub employ powerful adventurers with high levels, something he noticed when he first came here.

The waitress blinked before she smiled and motioned towards the rest of the bar. "More people means more possibilities. I get really excited just thinking about what I might discover on any given day. I guess... meeting new people is fun. My heart yearns for it," She replied.

The Courier snorted, while the girl blushed at his outburst. "I am sorry, miss Flova, but I couldn't help myself. The way you put it... I guess I am jealous," He said.

"Jealous? Why?" She asked her attention on the man.

The Courier shrugged and turned towards her. "I guess, I miss the attitude you have. The curiosity, the hope that you will find someone new, intriguing, who will become important in your life. Nowadays... I think I would rather trust a monster than another sapient being," He replied, while the waitress blinked in confusion.

"Why is that, mister Six? If you don't me asking?" She said, curious about the way he put it.

"... Mistakes of the past, my experience with them. Want an example of it?" He asked while the waitress nodded. "Well, that one time I was going around and exploring an abandoned city or what remained of it, I came upon another group. However, they lacked the necessary supplies and the city was full of traps and dangers."

"What happened then?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Well, I agreed to help them on account that I would get a share of the loot and got them the supplies. After that, we went to explore the city and scavenge whatever we could find. On our way there, we had to fight off some monsters, our goals being an armoury and a local blacksmith," The Courier lied the last part. No need to tell about NCR or radios. "Anyway, after we cleared it out, they took all the loot and then tried to murder me on the spot. I had to defend myself and you can guess what happened then."

"...I see," The woman said, trying to digest the information given to her. "But... I don't understand it. Why did they betray you?"

"Greed, miss Flova, it's in the blood. Greed can turn even the most righteous being into a monster, only caring about its own interest. Try to keep in mind, would you?" He said while the woman nodded. "Now then, I will be enjoying the meal, if you don't mind."

"Oh, alright," She replied and went towards other customers, the story he said leaving a lasting impact on her. "Greed, huh...?"


	10. Chapter 10

Rays of sun greeted the Courier once again, blinding him for a moment. He blinked owlishly, stood up, took a quick shower, before heading downstairs.

"Good morning," He greeted.

"Morning," Syr said.

"Good morning, nya," Anya said.

"Good morning, mister Six," Lunoire greeted.

"Morning there," Chloe said.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Mia said with a grin, while the Courier nodded towards them. After that, he sat at one of the free tables and watched as Syr walked up to him.

"May I take your order?" She asked.

"I would like a plate of scrambled eggs if you would be so kind," He replied. The woman nodded, walked up to Mia, told her the order before she turned towards other customers.

He didn't have to wait long before Syr arrived with his order. "Here you go."

"Thank you, miss Flova. Now, before you go, may I ask what happened to miss Lion?" The Courier asked. For some reason the elf was missing, which was unusual, to say the least. All the times he had come here the elf was here, which sent alarm bells in his head. Not the first time he met someone, only to find their corpse a few days later, like Little Buster.

"Ryuu went to visit some of her friends," The waitress lied. The Courier could see it, the subtle body movement, the way her eyes moved. However..., he decided not to pry. It wasn't any of his business, lord knew he had enough secrets of his own.

"Glad to know, now if you excuse me," He said and gestured to the plate in front of him. The waitress nodded before heading out towards the rest of the customers, glancing behind herself one last time, a feeling of unease building up in her chest.

Once he was done with the breakfast, he returned the plate, before heading out towards the Dungeon, saying his goodbyes on his way there. As he walked the streets of Orario, he breathed in then out. It was different from Mojave, a clear, unpolluted air, free of toxins, radiation and carbon dioxide. Ever since he came to this world it felt a bit like Zion all over again, except for bloodthirsty tribals, fetch quests and Daniel being complete cunt he was.

It was one of his many adventures, one that left a lasting impact on him, especially the diary of Randall Clark. The man described his life in Zion, his hardships, his family and what he accomplished. The journey the man went through was something he would remember forever. Even now, the dairies were safely stored in his pipboy and their backup at the Big Mountain, along with other important notes like Bitter Drink recipe taught to him by Ulysses.

He was getting ahead of himself, so he shook his head and focused on the road in front of him, heading towards the entrance to the Dungeon. _Randall Clark... He was something else, wasn't he? He lost all his family, went on a war with Vault 22 remnants slaughtering most of them, lost his second wife and child and somehow managed to die of old age..._ To him, the man was a hero, someone who lost all that mattered and yet still went on, until his body no longer could.

Maybe it was cowardliness, never able to pull the trigger to end it all. Maybe it was fear of losing the memories of those he cherished. Regardless of the reason, if it wasn't for the man, Zion wouldn't be the way it was._ And then Daniel came and said 'they will lose their innocence!'. This guy... I swear he had no clue how the world works. You can't run from the world, it will find its way to you._ The Courier huffed as he recalled all the bullshit the man spewed out. If it wasn't for Joshua Graham, Zion would have been lost forever to him, to Happy Trails, to Sorrows and to Dead Horses.

As he pondered upon his past, he noticed that he was standing right in front of the Guild. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen Eina in a while. It would be good to least reassure her he was still alive and well. With his mind made up, he made his way inside and looked around, before he noticed the one he was looking for. Waving his hand, the elf noticing him with a smile, he walked up to her.

"Good morning, Mister Six. Is there something I can help you with?" She asked.

"Not really no, I just wanted to say hello and show you that I am still alive," He replied.

"Glad to know, may I ask how far did you reach in the Dungeon?" She questioned.

"So far, I have reached level four. I am getting the hang of the monsters and how the Dungeon works," He replied. As much as he wanted to share some of his exploits, he had a feeling Eina would have a heart attack if he told her about fighting the Barbarian for instance.

"That's quick," She noticed, not expecting this result. The current record holder needed a whole year to reach level two and even then she had to spend around a month on the floor before going on to the next, then again the man in front of her was a bit of an anomaly. "Still, please take caution from floor five onward, if you intend to go as far as you can without a Falna. The monsters will keep getting stronger."

"I know, I know, adventurers should not venture, right?" He asked while the elf smiled at him.

"Exactly," She replied. "Say Six, have you seen Bell recently?"

"Not really no, last time I met him on the day of Monsterphilia," He replied. "Why do you ask? Did he get chased by a Minotaur again?"

Eina shook her head with a smile. "Nothing so extreme. However, recently he hired a supporter from a different Familia and for some reason, it bothers me."

"I see... and what do you expect me to do with it?" He asked.

"Keep an eye on him, could you? I have got a bad feeling about it," She replied.

"If I see him, I'll keep it in mind. However, I am not his baby sitter, you know?" He answered.

"That's all I am asking for," Eina replied and sighed. "I swear, he gets into too much trouble on a regular basis."

"That's why you like him so much, don't you? You like when someone depends on you," He teased, while the elf blushed.

"That's...," She started, not sure how to respond.

"Not true, I know, I know. Although you may want to hurry, miss Tulle. There is a certain acquaintance of mine that already seems interested in getting to know Bell better. The two even went together to a Monsterphilia, under the pretence of her lost wallet," He added, while Eina could feel her jaw drop a bit. "Now then, have a nice day, miss Tulle." And with a chuckle, he left the speechless elf behind him.

What the Courier didn't notice was a pair of eyes watching him from the shadows of the Guild, tracing his every movement. The owner of which had a black cloak covering his entire body, going by the name of Fels. He was a trusted adviser of the Ouranos god and the sole secret member of the Guild with a Falna on his back.

"...Ouranos needs to know about this," He muttered to himself, before heading towards the secret part of the Guild, hidden beneath it, where his god resided.

* * *

"So, Fels, what can you tell me about this Courier Six?" Ouranos asked, reading through a sheet of paper in his hands.

The god was the first god to ever descend into the lower world. He possessed white hair, blue eyes, with a matching white robe covered by a black hooded cloak and a pair of sandals on his feet. He was sitting in a Room of Prayer, atop a massive throne, his prayers keeping the Dungeon complacent, preventing monsters from rushing into the world.

"Not much I am afraid, my lord. He came to Orario around a month ago, bypassing the security booth and disappearing for the most part. While there were sightings of him back then, he only recently became active and began exploring the Dungeon. One of the most prominent aspects of his are strength and speed of first-class level adventurer, but without a Falna," Fels explained.

The god raised his eyebrow, his fully at the male in front of him. "Are you certain about that? No Falna?"

"I am certain, miss Eina Tulle filled a report describing it in avid detail, which would mean, there is a person that can defeat a barbarian, a level four monster on his own without the help of Falna," Fels replied.

"... If the news about it were to spread, it could cause a lot of trouble for us and the rest of the Orario. Do we know about his allegiance or any ties he has got?" The god asked.

"He seems neutral so far. In fact, miss Tulle told us that he does not wish to join a Familia of his own and not even goddess Freya was able to charm him," He replied.

"...That's helpful. If possible, we should try to recruit him and find out the reason behind his strength," Ouranos said as he pondered upon the solution to the problem.

"Is it possible that the man acquired one of the spirits' blessing?" Fels asked while the god shook his head.

"It may be so, but the chances are very slim. The spirits able to grant blessings like these have disappeared from the world over a thousand years ago. Today only some of them remain, vastly reduced in power. In any event, I want you to keep a watch on him and if possible try to sway him to our side," Ouranos said.

"Understood. However, what if it doesn't work? Should I ask for Ganesha's help to capture or eliminate the man?" Fels clarified.

"No, it would only make it harder for us in the long run. If possible, I wish for the relationship to remain cordial between him and the Guild. However, if it doesn't work, we should find out how powerful he is before making our move," Ouranos replied.

"Very well, I will get to it then," Fels said and began walking away, leaving the god by himself.

"... Someone without a Falna?" He pondered. There were cases of powerful individuals before they descended, but very few of them could match many of the monsters in the Dungeon. If one could surpass those limits without a Falna, the consequences would be massive for the entire world. It was best to take it slow.

* * *

Leaving the Guild behind and with his mood improved, the Courier entered the Dungeon and slowly made his downstairs, his goal for today being floor 18. However, as he descended further down, he noticed someone following him, the result of his perception and the radar implant. At first, it was innocent enough, but when he took detours and the presence followed right behind him, he became paranoid.

He had to find out who was tailing him and why, so with a swift movement, he entered one of the many passages on the floor 5, crouched and turned on his stealth field, making sure nobody could see him, while he was doing it. Not a few seconds later, he found the one following him, who immediately stopped upon not seeing him in the passage.

He didn't know why, but there was something odd about the individual and quick activation of thermal imaging made his jaw drop a bit. The man standing in front of him was a skeleton, a moving skeleton, similar to Trauma Override Harness he saw back in Big Mountain. However, this one was different and most likely existed because of magic.

Still, having someone tail him was not something he wanted or needed at this point. While a part of him wanted to murder the thing in front of him, just for safety's sake, he decided to play it safe and made his way back behind the skeleton, turned visible and tapped his shoulder. The skeleton jumped, drawing a short black dagger in a process, his hood hiding his features.

"It's not nice to tail someone you know," Courier said, as he drew his sword ready for a fight.

"...Perhaps, but it was also necessary," Fels replied.

"Oh really? Now tell me, because I am curious who are you and what do you want with me?" He asked his eyes on the thing in front of him.

"I believe we got off the wrong foot. I am Fels, the second in command to Ouranous and representative of the Guild," He introduced himself.

"Courier Six, but I am pretty sure, you already know that. You still haven't answered my second question," He replied.

"...I was sent to keep an eye on you and determine whether or not you are a threat to the Guild and the city itself," He explained. "I also would like to know how did you defeat the barbarian without a Falna."

"... That's quite a lot you want to know, more than I am willing to share," Courier replied the two staring at each other. "And what if I don't answer your questions or cooperate for that matter?"

"The Guild may be forced to take more drastic measures, including cooperation of other major Familias if necessary," Fels replied.

"Ho? I see that explains it," The Courier said as he pondered what to say to the man in front of him. "Fair enough, an unknown power appears in a city and you want to know how to react. However, I do not intend to become a threat to you or the city. I prefer to be more of a neutral party if possible."

"That's reassuring, but how can we trust you to keep your word?" Fels asked.

"You can't, but neither I can trust you for that matter. As it is, we are both at the impasse. I want nothing to do with you, your god or any other god for that matter. However, you want me to be on your side, is that correct?" He asked while the skeleton nodded. "Thought so. So, how do you suppose we solve it?"

"If possible, I would like to employ you as an independent agent. You will be able to trade with the Guild and your secret will be safe with us. However, you will have to do some tasks for us and you will remain under our jurisdiction," Fels replied.

"That's a pretty bad deal there, partner. I become the Guild's lapdog in exchange for you not ratting me out basically," He said, not liking this idea in the slightest. "I have got a better idea so to speak. You will keep your mouth shut and I will keep doing my thing, which is to say, exploring the Dungeon."

"That's unacceptable, I am afraid," Fels replied, his dagger raised just a bit higher. He didn't want to fight the man, but he couldn't simply let him go unchecked.

"What about the rest of the Familias? You can't control them, in fact, the Guild possess no actual members with Falna of their own last I checked," He countered.

"It's true... However, the Guild can refuse to deal with troublesome Familias, starving them out from resources and money," Fels replied.

"That's clever, devious but clever. However, I am not bound by the same rules as Familias. I can also simply sell the drops to third parties, meaning a black market will thrive. As it is, the worst you can inconvenience me a bit," He said.

"...," Fels narrowed his non-existent eyes as he tried to think of a solution. "Indeed, you can do that. However, you will be labelled a criminal and the Guild may even put a bounty on your head."

"You make it sound like it's something I haven't experienced before. Trust me, I have lived through multiple assassination attempts, I can handle myself just fine," He replied.

The two stood like this for a moment, before Fels finally lowered his weapon and sheathed it in his coat. "It seems like, you are not willing to compromise. Very well, the Guild won't do anything against you, at least for now. However, we will be watching your every move, I hope you realize that?"

"Fine by me, just don't go tailing me, okay? It's not going to work," He replied, sheathed his sword and began walking away, leaving the skeleton behind.

"...Ouranos won't be pleased by that," Fels muttered to himself, watching the man leave.

* * *

The Courier breathed a sigh of relief once he found himself far enough from the skeleton. This encounter just made things way worse for him. Not only Freya and Loki had their eyes on him, now even the Guild was watching him, meaning he had to be extra careful around the Dungeon and the city itself. To make things worse, anything suspicious could be linked directly to him, seeing how the Guild knew he possessed no Falna and yet managed to defeat a barbarian.

He had to solve it somehow, but how? _This sucks. If I put on power armour or use laser or plasma, the Guild and other Familias will get involved. _Not only he couldn't use his better stuff in this world, but he also had to worry about Guild watching his every move. He could, of course, say 'fuck it' and just use his best gear, bring a lot of attention and make his life way harder than it should be. Or, he could keep a low profile and start building the space shuttle sooner rather than later.

He honestly had no clue what to do. Back in the Mojave, things were much simpler. Sure, he had to do some tricky manoeuvring to stay in good graces of both NCR and the Caesar's Legion, but nobody batted an eye when he carried a full set of Elite Riot Gear with an anti-materiel rifle slung on his back. In a world of power armours, lasers, plasma and many others, the worst one would get is a jealous look now and then.

Here though? It's would have been like he kicked a hornet's nest. He could run, with the amount of money he had, he should be able to scrounge up enough of materials to construct the shuttle, or at least most of it. However, that would mean, the Dungeon would be left unexplored, he wouldn't be able to earn nearly as much outside as in the Orario. Overall, not a very good deal, at all.

The best-case scenario would involve him becoming a fugitive and using his stealth field on a regular basis. Still, the Guild wanted to avoid direct conflict with him, which he could use to his advantage. They probably would contact him again and try to persuade him again, maybe using a bit different method. _What a bloody mess..._He was starting to miss Mojave at this point.

"Wait a second!" He said to himself, an idea coming forth that could help him deal with this nonsense. "If I were to befriend let's say Freya and Loki Familias, it would help me tremendously. The Guild would think twice before messing with them. Sure, they can still starve them out of resources and money, but it would be much harder."

That was an idea, maybe not without faults, but an idea nevertheless. The Guild had a lot of influence over Orario, way much than one gave it credit for. But even the Guild would suffer if some of the more powerful Familias refused to simply accept what they told them. Not only would rare drops become even more scarce. The Familias could refuse to simply pay for the taxes, due to unfair treatment.

The Guild, despite all its power, wasn't almighty. It had a lot of soft power, but if it were to step out of line too much, the Familias could overthrow it and put themselves in its place. It would serve as a good deterrent at the bare minimum. Now, all he had to was find some kind of dirty laundry for the guild and they would be hard-pressed to pursue any kind of action against him. And he still had the Codac R9000 with him, so he could fabricate some proof of him not being related to any incidents that had laser and plasma written all over it.

With his confidence renewed, he set out once again towards the depths of the Dungeon, heading straight to the floor 18 and killing all the monsters that stood in his way. It didn't take long until he arrived at floor 17, which was devoid of monster kind. The main feature of the room was a massive glass-like wall. According to what he read, this is where Goliath resided, but since it was slain recently, the passage was clear.

One of the new features of the floors starting from the thirteenth till eighteen were vertical holes leading to deeper floors. However, he preferred not to use them on account of not being in a rush. That and not wanting to have others see him casually crashing into the floor, not worse for wear. Making his way down, he finally arrived at his destination, his eyes spread wide open.

It looked like a paradise, lush green trees and grass. Huge forests and lakes, the floor filled with crystals and nature. Even from the entrance, he could see the forests all bathed in a pale blue glow, the result of blue crystals located within them. The exceptionally high ceiling was filled with brilliant shining crystals of two colours. White crystals were located in the centre, resembling a sun, while the blue ones surrounding it resembled a clear sky. The time itself was different here than on the surface, with here looking like it was still early morning.

Then, far away from the entrance, he could the city of Rivira. It was located on an eastern side of the island facing the lake. It was located around two hundred meters above the lake, on a cliff. From what he remembered the prices there were absurd, to say the least. However, since it was one of the few safe spots in the Dungeon, where no monsters were born, it was adventurers who set the prices.

Then there was a massive tree in the middle the size of a skyscraper, dwarfing even the likes of Lucky 38. Courier Six was rarely impressed, by the Dungeon sure found a way to do it, with the city of Rivira being located at the base of the tree. He honestly had no clue where to start, but seeing the city was not that important anyway. What he wanted to see is the general area of the floor, maybe more.

With his mind made up, he set off towards the forest, feeling much more at ease than he expected. Although the fact that stone walls surrounded him was not something he liked that much. Being able to see the horizon was much better, Zion was proof of that. As he walked between the trees, his automapping feature recording all the details, he noticed fruits, unlike anything he had seen before.

There were things like Honey Cloud, Goudberry and such only growing at the floor 18. They were mostly sweet and provided a good amount of nutrients. The Courier, being the complete and utter hoarder he was, began picking them up one by one, leaving as little behind as he could, mostly the ones that were either too damaged or already rotting. Having this kind of unique items back in the Mojave would surely help the economy. Sweets were a powerful thing after all.

As he walked between the trees, he came across a sight that he hadn't expected. There was a makeshift graveyard standing in front of him. Man-made crosses, which seemed to be maintained regularly. He walked up to one of them and read one of the titles 'Alise Lovell'. He recognized the symbol, it belonged to Astrea Familia, a now-defunct explorer type Familia. He didn't know what exactly happened to it, only that the entire Familia was killed in a Dungeon.

Just as he considered what to do, he heard a voice coming from behind him. "...What are you doing here?"

He turned around and saw Ryuu, but she was wearing a different outfit than usual with her hair colour being akin to that of gold. It consisted of a green flower-shaped hood and a white sleeveless top underneath. She was also wearing a pair of long, brown gloves and boots with a white sash around her waist. There one could see a wooden sword and a pair of short swords.

"... I could ask you the same thing, miss Lion," He replied, the woman narrowing her eyes. She had a bunch of flowers in her hands of different shapes and sizes. "I am assuming they were members of your Familia, Astrea Familia, weren't they?" The elf nodded before she walked past him and placed the flowers on the grave. "I see... I know sympathy of a stranger may not count for much, but for what it's worth, I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you for the kind words," She replied, although the smile was more forced than usual. "Another with knowledge of my past has emerged. It's only a matter of time before you find out…I would regret not telling you myself."

"Let me guess, you are a wanted adventurer aren't you?" He asked while the elf nodded.

"My name, the Gale, appears on the Guild's blacklist and my position as an adventurer has been revoked," She replied.

"I see... so, what happened?" He asked as he leaned against one the nearby trees, curious about the elf's past.

"One day, a Familia that had taken up arms against us set a trap in the Dungeon. I was the only one to escape alive…Unable to retrieve their bodies, I collected what articles I could and buried them here," She replied, her lower lip quivering.

"You wanted to avenge them, didn't you? And you followed through, am I correct?" He asked.

"...Yes, I single-handedly destroyed the entire Familia responsible for this," She said and gestured to the grave. "My actions had nothing to do with justice. Filled with a lust for revenge, I tracked down each member and erased them along with anyone connected to them…Even the slightest suspicion was enough."

"... It didn't make you feel better, did it? The dead are still dead and you may have possibly killed innocent people in your pursuit of it," He summed up, while the elf nodded once again. "What happened then?"

"I collapsed. With all targets eliminated, with no one left, alone in a back alley. Covered in blood and dirt on the side of the road…It was a fitting end for someone who had committed atrocities such as I," She said before she sighed and a small smile graced her lips. "If it wasn't for Syr... we wouldn't be talking right now," She said and explained how she came to work at the Hostess of Fertility.

"And that's why you dye your hair green, do you? To avoid being found out?" He asked. Since she'd always worn a hood and gone by the name Lyon during her time as an adventurer, the chances of her being discovered were very low as long as she changed the colour of her hair.

"Yes... Now, I wish to know what do you intend to do now with the knowledge you possess?" She asked while the man sighed.

"Nothing," He replied, the elf's eyes spread wide open. "I am not going to judge you or your actions. Lord knows I have done enough horrible things myself. Besides, what would I gain from ratting you out?"

"... A bounty on my head?" She tried, not expecting this kind of response.

"Not enough, out of curiosity, how much people want for your head anyway?" He asked.

"Eighty million Valis," She replied, the man whistling.

"Damn, that's way more than I got on my head. I only had like twenty thousand put as a price for my head," He admitted, while the elf focused her attention on the man.

"You have got a bounty on your head?" She inquired, curious about the reason behind it.

"Yep, well earned I think. I kind of broke into a bit of criminal's hideout and destroyed their plans in taking over the city among others," He admitted.

"... I am surprised, I didn't expect that," She said. "But... why have you done it?"

"... I am not sure myself, remnants of morality, a personal code of honour? I don't know anymore. However, when I found out what was happening I couldn't just sit idly. Would you like to listen to it, seeing how you told me your side of the story?" He asked while the elf nodded. "Alright then."

"It all started, when I went to a casino and was approached by one of the prostitutes going by the name of Joana. I was looking for work, just so you know," He started. "However, because I have got some medical expertise, I noticed that she was suffering from overdosing on a certain drug I was familiar with."

"... A drug? What was it?" She asked while the Courier shook his head.

"I can't remember anymore, it happened a few years back. Anyway, once I found out about it, she told me what was happening. She was being abused by one of the higher-ups in the casino. The love of her life run away after he tried to leave the casino with her. In the end, I decided to help her, not because I wanted something from her like sex or money, but because... I just couldn't stand idly, when I had a chance to do something," He admitted, before shaking his head. "Anyway, I found her love, who was hiding not too far away from the casino and convinced her to trust me. Then I led her and two others to safety."

"... It didn't go as planned, did it?" She asked.

"There was an ambush, they tried to murder her and everyone else involved in it. However, I was able to bluff my way through it, preventing the fight from happening in the first place," He said.

"...You did? How?" She asked. She didn't see that one coming.

"Simple, I told them they broke the arrangement I made. The love of Joana's life, who stole a lot of money from the casino was willing to trade it back for her life. In the end, they left not wanting to be on their bosses bad side after they thought they screwed up royally," He finished.

"I see... But what happened to the pair?" She asked.

"They rode into the sunset and left the city for good. I haven't seen them since then," He finished the story, a silence descending between them. "Then she told me about the plans of the bosses and I took care of them as well."

"... Did you kill anyone then?" She asked, curious about the fact.

"I did, but if let Clanden go, I wouldn't be able to look myself straight in the eye," He admitted.

"What did he do?" She asked.

"He was an explosive expert, who also dabbled in raping and killing women as a form of sexual arousal," He replied, the elf clenching her fists a bit before she calmed down a bit. "So, miss Lion, I believe it's safe to say that we are not so different from each other. We have both shed blood of others, more than once. Hell, I even travelled half the world to get the guy who almost killed me and buried me in a shallow grave."

"He did what?" She asked, her voice rising. "How... did you survive and why did he do that?"

"A doctor from the nearby town and the reason? He wanted to get a package I was carrying," He replied.

"... I see," She replied, the two lapsing in silence once again. "So, what now?"

"Depends, are you fine with me knowing your past and me being a murderer?" He asked.

"Only if you are fine with my past," She replied. The Courier chuckled and nodded.

"I can deal with that," He replied, walked up to a woman and extended his hand. "So, miss Lion, do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, we do," She replied and shook his hand, a small smile gracing her lips. "You know, you are the third person to ever touch my skin."

"Man, that's an accomplishment right here and now. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn you were hitting on me, miss Lion," He said, while the elf blushed a bit.

"... You enjoy teasing others, don't you?" She asked, slowly letting go of the hand, a lingering warm between her fingers.

"Yep, you should try it. Also, you didn't deny it, miss Lion," He teased the elf once again, the tips of her ears getting a darker shade of red.

"... Mister Six, are you doing it on purpose?" She asked.

"Perhaps," He replied, while the elf rolled her eyes, a bit of chuckle escaping her lips, a beautiful sound he might add. "Miss Lion, can you do me a favour?"

"Depends on the favour itself," She replied.

"If you ever need any help or just want someone to listen to you, I am available," He said.

"I will keep it in mind," She replied, the two standing next to each other, enjoying the silence.

Ryuu didn't know what to expect when she first met the Courier. She wasn't sure if he was kind or not. However, the more time she spent, the more she saw and heard, the more her opinion of him raised. He wasn't a hero, a perfect man who always did the right thing, but neither was she a perfect heroine. They both had their own share of flaws, but what he said, it only cemented her opinion. She enjoyed his company and with the latest exchange, she could feel herself growing closer to the man, a warmth spreading through her heart, with a small smile evident on her face.

* * *

After that, the two said their goodbyes and decided to head their own way. Ryuu couldn't be seen with him otherwise Gale's reputation would impact him, while the Courier still wanted to explore the rest of the floor. Although, he did promise to come back today and see her later at the pub.

The Courier walked between the trees exploring the floor at his own pace, being close to the walls of the floor. He had plenty of time left and there wasn't anything important he needed to just yet. However, what he didn't expect to happen was for the floor to give up under him and he found himself falling to a pit, which was easily ten meters deep.

"Oh crap!" He yelled, flailing his arms as he fell down into the hole.

Seconds later, he landed on his feet in some dark liquid a stench of unbearable proportions entering his nostrils. His feet began to sting as the corrosive substance ate away at his armour and skin, easily getting through the loose parts of it. Only thanks to his regeneration he could stand inside without panicking. Compared to the Cloud from the Sierra Madre it was much weaker, not even comparable.

As looked up, he could feel his eyes spread wide open. A massive maw, with two long green pale appendages and a single eye, focused its attention on him. Around him, he could see remains of the previous adventurers, bones, armours, weapons and such, walls being too slimy to climb. At that moment, it dawned on him. _It's a giant pitcher plant!_

He brought up his pipboy, caution be damned, the time stopping in its tracks. It worked similar to VATS, but unlike the latter didn't use his action points. The downside? He could only inject drugs and such, without being able to fight and he still had to bring his hand up to choose between items. Still, he knew what he had to do. While he could technically summon other weapons and armour on the run, it was something he was still working on. It was easier to get bearing of all the items he possessed too.

He went into armours tab and quickly equipped his trusty suit of Elite Riot Gear along with the appropriate helmet and added Atomic-valence tri-radii-oscillator on top of it. The latter was similar to a blue holographic halo floating above the head of the wearer, except its model was more reminiscent to that of a Rutherford model of the atom.

Switching to the weapons tab, he chose his weapons including a pistol known as A Light Shining in the Darkness, a flagpole known as Old Glory, Christine's COS Sniper Rifle, Riot Shotgun, Compliance Regulator, Industrial Hand and last but not least Thump-Thump before leaving the pipboy. The plant attacked him with its two limbs, which he avoided by jumping backwards while drawing his pistol in the process.

He entered VATS, choosing the limbs and the eye as his three targets before firing just like Joshua Graham taught him. All three shoots connected with their targets, the weapon making little to no sound thanks to the silencer, the limbs of the plant exploding. However, the plant was still alive for some reason and with a roar of its own, the walls began to vibrate. _It's trying to bury me with it!_

The Courier wasted no time, aiming the pistol and the plant and pulling the trigger three times in rapid succession, killing it an instant, it's body exploding into a bunch of plant matter. However, it was too late, the walls were already starting to crumble. He crouched and using his kinetic implants, he jumped out of the pit just in time, the hole crumbling right behind him.

"What the hell was that and why was it here?" He muttered to himself, as he looked around. It made no sense and just like the plant things, it was something new. He had never seen or heard about anything like this nor had the guild or any other adventurer for that matter.

As he examined his surrounding one side of the wall caught his attention. There was something different about it and he had a suspicion why. Noticing up traps was a skill he picked up early on and it saved him a bunch of times. He walked towards it and began examining the wall. There was a very faint air current between the cracks on the side.

With his mind made up, he materialized a brick of C-4 plastic explosive, before placing it at the base, walking away and pulling out a detonator. It was a simple thing with a trigger and an antenna to activate the explosive. He pulled the trigger and watched as the explosion destroyed the vast majority of the rock exposing a giant metal door behind it.

His eyes narrowed before he walked up to it and kicked it as hard as he could. The door didn't budge in the slightest, but it was to be expected. A quick look at it told him everything he needed to know. The door was made from some incredibly durable metal, harder than titanium, but nowhere near as strong as the saturnite.

He could work with that and materialized one of his most powerful weapons, Industrial Hand. It consisted of a mechanical glove with a circular saw blade mounted on the back, with the components now replaced with saturnite for the most part. Normally it was used in industrial work for cutting materials such as metal or plastics, but now it was an excellent weapon capable of ignoring both damage resistance and damage threshold.

With his mind made up, he began cutting a hole in the door, two meters wide and two meters tall, allowing for an easy passage. The sparks came off the door, but the saturnite was superior easily cutting through it, like a knife through hot butter. Not a minute later, he was done, so he put the weapon away and began pushing on the part of the door he cut out using his shoulder. It moved slowly, painfully, but with a grunt, he managed to push it all the way in, before it toppled on the ground, sending a small cloud of dust in the air. Then he put Industrial Hand away and brought his pistol up, ready for combat as he made his way in.

What he saw there made him stop in his tracks. There were cages, cages filled with monsters of different shapes and sizes, including War Shadows, Hard Armoured, Sword Stags, Harpies just to name a few, at least ten of them. However, unlike the monsters he encountered so far, they weren't striking at the bars trying to escape or murder him through the bars, no, they looked afraid.

As soon as they saw him, they retreated deeper into their cages, their attention focused on him. Then there was another door located in the back, while white flowers covered all the walls, their petals shining in the darkness. He walked up to the harpy, who looked like she had seen better days. Her brown feathers were all dirty and there was caked blood on her body. However, unlike the harpies he read about, she looked human, more than he expected. Her brown pupils were exactly like that and she looked far more beautiful than the harpies he read about.

She was naked for the most part, the feathers covering most of her body, with a bit of cloth covering her most intimate places, her brown eyes looking at him with fear. To make it worse, there were cuts and bruises all over her, not to mention her left leg looked broken, judging by the way it was bent.

He knelt in front of her and asked, "Can you speak?"

At first, she didn't react, before she gulped and replied, "Y-yes."

"Do you have a name?" He asked.

"F-Fear, who are you?" She asked.

"I am... Ulysses," He settled on. No need to tell his true name just yet. "Who did this to?"

"A-adventurers, they came, killed some of us and took the rest here," She explained.

"Do you know where are they? And what do you mean by us?" He inquired.

"They went through that door over there, us, we are called Xenos," She replied.

"Okay, that makes sense. First, let's get you out of here," He said and was ready to pick a lock on the cage, only to hear the door open.

He turned towards the door and saw a group of adventurers going through it, at least thirty of them, the door locking behind them. The harpy retreated even further into the cage, her complexion pale. They constituted of many different races, including Amazons, Pallums, Humans, etc. The ones that stood out the most among them were a male with black hair and red eyes and a female with pink hair and yellow eyes. Unknown to the Courier they were known as Dix Perdix and Valletta Grede, both level five adventurers.

The man was wearing a pair of goggles with translucent smoky quartz lenses and a slightly dirty battle cloth. He also carried on himself a large battle knife and a red spear. The female, on the other hand, was wearing a black top with black pants that had red lines in them, with both top and the bottom damaged to an extent, leaving her stomach exposed. She also possessed a brown belt around her right thigh, ending it all with a black coat with fur trimming.

"Look what do we have here, boys. It seems like a stupid pest decided to visit us," Dix said as he grinned at the Courier, who only prepared his gun as he stared at the group in front of him. "So tell me pest, what were you thinking when you got here?"

"Call it curiosity and leave it at that. Now, a question for you," He replied and gestured to the Xenos in cages. "Why are they in cages?"

"What does it matter? You are going to die here anyway," Valleta replied, while the Courier chuckled.

"True, but the least I can do is understand what's going on. After all, I managed to gain your attention, didn't I?" He asked he could some of the adventurers preparing spells, chanting under their mouth. He was ready to shoot at any moment, but he was playing for time and knowledge.

"Geh, sure, asshole. These things in cages? They are sapient monsters and back on the surface, there are plenty of buyers for this kind of exotic thing. How does their meat taste? How do they squeal when you poke them with a hot stick? It's all there for a price," Dix replied, the Xenos shivering at his words.

What the man didn't know was how much of a mistake that was. If there was one thing, he couldn't stand it was slavery and everything that followed it. He had seen with his very own eyes what slavery lead to, how Caesar's Legion operated. To say he hated slavery was putting it mildly. However, he wasn't stupid, he knew that attacking the Legion would only lead to him being targeted by the hit squads. It was one of the reasons, he stole a bunch of dog tags and gave them to the Legion, who in turn shared some of their loot with them.

"Oh, that's good business, I admit that," He said and nodded, keeping the appearance. "Still, they are sapient, does is not bother you to enslave others?"

"What are you some monster lover, dipshit?" Valletta asked.

"Don't tell me you feel anything towards them? They are monsters plain and simple, what does it matter if we use them for our own gain?" He asked.

"I don't, I couldn't care less what happens to them. They are not my friends, not my allies, not even my clients," He replied with a snort, while the Xenos look dejected, already expecting this kind of response, they were monsters after all. "Truth to be told, I was hoping, we could come to some kind of agreement instead of trying to murder each other, you catch my drift?"

"Ho... So, you are not as stupid as you seem," Dix replied. "Still, why should we trust you?"

"And why should I trust you, either? For all I know, you will stab me in the back as soon as I lower my weapon," He countered, while Dix released an amused chuckle.

"Fair enough, still, I don't think we need another member I am afraid," He said, everyone getting ready. "So, do me a favour and die."

The Courier didn't wait, he drew his pistol, aimed it at the weakest and the closest member before he pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced through the air, easily clearing the distance between itself and its target. The adventurer in question had no time to react as the projectile lodged itself into his skull, blowing his head open and killing him on the spot. The group stopped in their movement, their attention on the barely smoking barrel of the gun.

"What the fuck was that?!" One of them yelled, the tension much higher than seconds ago.

"...I don't think you understand, how dead you are just yet," The Courier replied as he calmly reloaded the gun. "Fact is, you have just signed your own funeral."

"Kill him!" Valletta yelled while everyone else charged at him and the mages aimed their staves at him.

The Courier activated implant GRX, the time slowing down, making one second last three to him. Then, he entered VATS, chose four of the magic users and fired the same amount of shots in rapid succession, just like Joshua Graham taught him. All the shots hit their marks killing the adventurers instantly.

However, other adventurers didn't wait for him and rushed forward, their intent clear. Wasting no time, he fired five remaining bullets at the ones approaching him killing three of the group, before the ammo ran out and the rest of the group closed the distance.

With a scowl, he dematerialized the pistol, before he drew Old Glory, easily blocking an attack from above. He grunted at an Amazon before he delivered a two-handed slam right into her abdomen, her body exploding into a pile of blood, guts and gore. The rest of the group paled, but they stood their ground and continued their onslaught.

He jumped back as the adventurers tried to hit him at the same time, getting closer to the wall behind. There were too many of them at close range and even with Old Glory, he would get hit, something he was trying to avoid. So with his mind made up, he drew Riot Shotgun and fired, sending three adventurers backwards and making them fall to the floor, blood gushing out of their wounds. _And stay back assholes!_

Despite this, they were still coming towards him, including Dix, who rushed at him from the left, while Valleta rushed from the right, the rest of the group charging forward. He spared no 12 gauge ammo, blooding his attackers and killing them one by one, until only two-thirds of the group remained, sending all of his attackers backwards. Then he saw some more of them casting more magic while being guarded by the rest, so they wouldn't be picked off one by one. _They really don't know, who they are up against, do they?_

With a grin under his helmet, he drew Thump-Thump a unique grenade rifle, aimed it at the group and fired, killing six of them in one shoot, last four barely clinging to life as they were launched into the air by the shock wave. That was what broke the remnants of their confidence. Dix was afraid, more than ever in his entire life. He wanted to run away, but the Courier didn't let him and he charged forward, blocking the attack of the spear.

He grunted as he felt the pain reaching his mind, an attack able to overcome his defences. He wasn't invulnerable, even his armour had a limit of what it could absorb safely. After that, he would take vastly reduced damage, but still damage. With a scowl, he drew his pistol, aimed it at the man's head and pulled the trigger, blowing his head of.

The rest of the group seeing the sight in front of them turned around and ran through same the door, even the Valletta Grede ran away screaming, not able to believe her own eyes. He wouldn't let them escape and just as the door closed, he rammed full speed into it. It dented from the impact, followed by a lot of punches from his bare fists, but the door still held strong despite all the beating it had just withstood.

He wanted to pursue them, leave no survivors, make them pay. However... he couldn't, as much as he wanted to. Who knew how big the thing was, was sort of traps were there. For all he knew, it could be rigged to collapse to prevent anyone from reaching the heart of the structure. Getting in there like this wouldn't do anything good. He could, of course, release the Cloud inside of it, but it was way too risky. The Cloud could find its way to the surface, which was unacceptable.

He began breathing in then out before he finally got his emotions under control. With a sigh, he began looting the corpses of the adventurers. Once he did that, he took a picture of their bodies and heads using the camera, before hiding it in his duster. After that, he put a satchel charge at the entrance and while doing so, he noticed something weird. His health wasn't regenerating as fast it used to.

With his eyebrow raised, he brought up his pipboy and checked his status, a new condition visible on the display. 'Curse' that's all it said. However, the effects were absurd, to say the least. _Reduces regeneration of a body __a__nd other healing items by__ fifty per cent__...?! What the hell is this? _It was insane. He had been burnt, stabbed, slashed, etc. However, none of those things ever prevented his body from healing, even when he was naked and burning.

The fact that weapons like this existed was unnerving, to say the least. He needed to do something about it, test it, see how bad it could get and find a way to counter it. With another groan, he walked up to the cages with Xenos.

They looked a bit scared but for the most part awed, their mouths spread wide open. It was good, better than being afraid of him anyway. So without further ado, he began unlocking the doors of the cages one by one, letting them go out on their own until he finally arrived at the cage with Fear. He unlocked the door, before stepping away from the cage.

"You can leave now," He said.

She nodded and began making her way out of the cage. She managed to stand on both of her legs before she stumbled and almost fell before he managed to catch her just before she hit the ground.

"T-thank you," She said before the Courier nodded and gently lowered her to the ground.

She sat on her rump before he materialized a doctor's bag and began carefully bandaging her leg, reinforcing it with a bit of wood to keep it stable. The Xenos were surprised by the items appearing out of nowhere, but they decided not to ask any questions for now. Once he did that, he got some clean cloth and began cleaning all the cuts and bruises, before he applied a bit of healing poultice to the wound.

She gritted her teeth, before she felt relief flow through her body, her leg feeling much better than it did a few moments ago. Satisfied, the Courier stood up and turned towards other Xenos.

"I can fix your wounds, but only if you let me," He said.

The Xenos looked between each other before they nodded in unison, the Courier nodding back. He turned around and watched as the harpy stood up on her own, her attention focused on the man in front of her.

Then she breathed in the air, gathered her courage and said, "I... Thank you for saving our lives."

"You're welcome," He replied with a shrug. "Anyway, you can't stay here, other adventurers may come to investigate. Do you have a place to stay?"

"Yes, we do... Can you help us get there?" She asked, a bit scared of the man in front of her.

"Sure, why not. Are you fine with that?" He asked.

"I think so. You're scary, very scary," She said, while the Courier sweatdropped, cursing himself internally. "However... you helped us out," She added, a bit of a smile on her face.

"Glad to hear it. Now, I can take care of the rest of the wounds you have, if you want it that is. After that, I will escort you to the safe place you know about, is that alright with you?" He asked while the Xenos nodded. "Good, now, let's get to it."

With that out of the way, the group took another few minutes to deal with all the injuries, before they set off towards their destination, the Courier walking right behind the harpy, who lead the way, the rest of the group, around ten Xenos following in their footsteps. Their destination, floor twenty.


	11. Chapter 11

As the Courier led the group out of the room, he kept his eyes on the Xenos, watching as Healing Poultice did it's magic, mending wounds that could have been fatal, crippled limbs and such. The tribal's medicine was far more powerful than stimpaks and worked in a matter of seconds. The wounds closed, leaving behind healthy tissue, with little to no scarring behind, the Xenos surprised by its potency.

The group followed edges of the floor, keeping close to the walls and staying as far away as they could from the frequently travelled roads. The ten Xenos he escorted consisted of Fear, two War Shadows, Hard Armoured, Sword Stag, Troll, Wyvern, Bugbear, Hippogriff, Armousaurus and a Silverback. While Fear was the one who guided them all, Six made sure no adventurers ever came close to them. It was not the easiest feat and they often had to dive into the forest to avoid a group of them, especially when they came close to the staircase. There, they stopped in the bushes nearby, watching as people went past them.

They had to wait a couple of minutes, but once the road cleared out, they quickly made their way downstairs, before diving into one of the side passages. There they saw a group of monsters waiting for them. They consisted of six Lizardmen, three Mad Beetles and three Gun Libellula. The first one was a humanoid monster with red scales, the second a medium-sized beetle monster that walked on two legs. The last one was a dragonfly monster that shot projectiles out of its abdomen.

"I will take care of the monsters, you keep watch, okay?" He asked.

"Okay, be careful," Fear said and stepped back, while the Courier moved forward drawing Old Glory in the process.

The monsters charged forward, growling, while the dragonflies shot needle-like projectiles into his armour, not able to pierce through its defences. _Armour still holding, good._ With a swing of his weapon, two of the lizardmen died in an instant, their bodies exploding into a mist of gore and blood. Moving on to the rest, he kept the monsters away from the Xenos, who formed a protective perimeter around themselves, with weaker members located in the middle.

His fighting style was simple but efficient. Rush in, smash the enemy's skull in, move on to the next. He didn't waste time throwing flashbangs, tomahawks, applying poisons to his weapons due to a simple fact it was unnecessary. Back in the Mojave, it was all about having the most powerful weapon, not one which hit the most often, well, except for creatures who had no armour of their own.

Because of that, the Courier specialized in devastating blows, the so-called critical hits. Thanks to all the perks he acquired over the time of his journey, like better criticals and just lucky to be alive, even something simple as a pistol could hit power armour user so hard, it hurt. In fact, that's what A Light Shining in the Darkness and Old Glory did really well, among many others.

The first one could score a critical strike with each shot, thanks to the combination of items and perks he possessed, like the armour he was currently wearing. On top of that, The Way of Canaanite taught to him by Joshua Graham only made the pistol even more deadly. A single shot from it could kill a hardened mercenary wearing a full suit of reinforced combat armour. In comparison, Old Glory had only seventy-one per cent chance to crit, but when it did, not even a deathclaw could take more than one or two hits at best, assuming he didn't use Grand Slam, which dealt double the damage.

Not that it mattered as the monsters only focused on him. As he killed another two, a lizard man slammed him in the back with its tail, blood gushing out. He could hear gasp coming from the Xenos, but he ignored it and turned the monster into a red smear on a nearby wall, before going on to the next. Not a minute later, all the monsters were dead, no adventurers coming to investigate.

Satisfied, the Courier began gathering the drop items, before he turned towards the Xenos. They walked up to him, most not able to talk, but still gesture. They pointed at the blood on the ground before they pointed back at him.

"Are you alright?" Fear asked while the Courier shrugged.

"Meh, had worse," He replied, while the harpy bit her lip. "I heal fast, don't worry," He said and patted her on the head.

She nodded reluctantly before the group continued their descent. However, before they could continue, Fear yelped and fell on her knees, everyone else turning towards her.

"I am fine," She said and tried to stand back only to wobble, the Xenos keeping her steady.

"Stop trying to force yourself. You." He pointed at the Hippogriff. "Carry her on your back."

The Xeno nodded before the others helped Fear get on its back and they resumed the journey. The rest of it was spent in silence, the Xenos focused on getting back safely to their home, the Courier on their surroundings. Every now and then he had to kill a group of monsters that tried to harm them, before moving on towards the next.

"... Hey, Ulysses," Fear started.

"Hmm...?" He replied, glancing towards her.

"How do you do all that?" She asked.

"Do what exactly?" He questioned.

"All this stuff, like beating the adventurers, making things appear out of nowhere, those weapons you used?" She clarified.

"... It's complicated," He settled on. "Tell you what, when we get to safety I will answer some of the questions, but not all of them. Is that clear?"

"Okay...," She said, her curiosity still not satisfied. "...Why did you help us?"

"... I hate slavery... more than anything else. Seeing you all in cages like this... It reminded me of something I had seen before," He said, before taking a pause. "Guess, I just couldn't stand idly and let it happen, when I could do something."

"... I see," She said, digesting the information. "But, does it not bother you? Helping monsters?"

"No, why would it? You are different from the other monsters. If a human attacked me, should I hate other humans because of that?" He asked.

"Well, no, but...," She said, not knowing what to say to counter it.

"If someone attacked me, I would defend myself. However, I am not going to simply kill others for what they were born as. Our species don't define us, only our actions do," He finished.

The Xenos looked between each other, before they turned towards him, most of them smiling at him, others, well at least they tried. "You are kind, Ulysses," Fear said.

"... I am not, I am no hero either, I am just... a courier," He said, while the harpy blinked in surprise. "Forget I said anything, let's keep moving."

Fear nodded and soon they found themselves at floor twenty, in one of the side passages, where a lake was located, with a waterfall filling it up. He looked around, scratched the back of his head, before turning towards the Xenos.

"So, now what?" He asked.

"Please wait here, I need to talk to others before we let you in. Once it is safe, we will let you know," She said.

"Okay then, don't take too long, I get sunburnt easily," He said, while the harpy giggled.

After that, the Xenos walked into the lake and began swimming to the other side, right through the waterfall. He waited patiently, his ears detecting faint noises coming from the direction of the waterfall. It lasted for a couple of minutes before the hippogriff came out and gestured him to come. With a nod, he dived into the water, swimming through the lake, until he passed the waterfall.

What he saw inside made him blink in surprise. The limestone cavern-like room was well lit, giant magic lamps hanging at the ceiling and basking it in a pleasant light. Monsters of all shapes and kinds greeted him. Dozens of them surrounded him as he slowly made his way inside the cave.

Far away from the entrance where the group stood, a green dragon more than ten meters long lay at the base of a quartz pillar. Its body covered in scars, the wizened beast observed the adventurers with quiet eyes that seemed to contain the wisdom of countless years. He stopped in the middle, before a Siren different from the ones he read about descended from the ceiling.

If Fear was beautiful, then the girl in front of him was straight out gorgeous. Her beauty was breathtaking. Long, dull golden father with light blue tips at the end. Not unlike the half-human/half-bird harpy's, both of her elongated forearms formed beautiful golden wings. Similarly, coloured feathers covered most of her lower body, the exception being the birdlike talons on her feet. As she wore a battle cloth that Amazons would have approved of over her pronounced bust, her unfeathered stomach was completely exposed. And to finish it all off, sky-blue eyes with so much warmth in them, it actually gave him a pause.

"So, you are the one who saved our comrades from the adventurers?" She asked, her voice clear and soothing, while the Courier nodded.

"That would be the case, yes. I am Ulysses, pleased to meet you, miss...?" He said and extended his hand.

"Ray, a siren and one of the leaders of Xenos. I would like to thank you for saving our comrades" She introduced herself and raised her wing, the tip extended out like a finger, the two shaking them. The monsters grinned at the sight, some of them skipping a bit on the floor.

"You're welcome," He replied, glancing at the other monsters.

"Hey, don't forget about me, Ray!" Lydo said, a lizard man with a fine armour on his chest and a long two-handed sword.

"Of course, I didn't forget about you," She said and took a step back allowing the monster to stand in front of the Courier.

"I'm Lido; as you can see, I'm a lizard man and also one of the leaders. Nice to meet you, Ulysses," He said and extended his hand.

"The pleasure is mine," Courier said and returned the handshake.

The lizard man smiled even further and shook the hand vigorously. "No, the pleasure's all mine!"

One heartbeat later—"WOOOOOOO!"

The Courier nearly leapt out of his skins as a burst of sound roared through the room. The monsters that had been just as anxiously watching Lydo and Six—they were celebrating. The red-cap goblin applauded. Harpies on the ground skipped excitedly. The formoire pumped its fists into the air, albeit slowly. Almiraj hopped around in circles. The cheers continued. A friendship between man and monster—this day would go down in history, and all were elated to be a part of it.

"Fear and others told us everything that happened," Ray said as she walked up to the duo.

"Really? All of it? Including the part where I killed them? Or what I told them?" He asked while the girl nodded. "... Well, crap. I hope you are not afraid of me because of that?"

The girl giggled and shook her head. "Not in the slightest. Everyone is glad to have met a person who doesn't reject us and would go as far as to protect us."

"...You're way too trusting for your own good," He said, before shaking his head.

"Perhaps, but if we don't give chance to those would stand by us, would it do anything good?" She countered.

"Good point," He replied, but before they could do anything, a group of Xenos led by an Arachne and a gargoyle walked up to the duo.

The Arachne was wearing a full suit of armour with only her red human eyes visible, her skin and hair both as white as the frozen tundra hidden by it. The gargoyle was similarly dressed with a massive weapon on his back.

"Gros, Ranieh, is there something wrong?" Ray asked, her attention turned toward other Xenos.

"No need to be alarmed, Ray. We only wish to talk to the adventurer," Gros, the gargoyle replied, before he turned towards the Courier, eyeing him up. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Gros, one of the leaders of Xenos and this is Ranieh," He said and extended his hand.

"Ulysses," The Courier replied and shook the hand, noticing the gargoyle had a firm grip. Arachne just nodded at him, which he returned.

Ranieh and Gros were a part of the group of Xenos that detested people who lived on the surface. While those who shared their beliefs were in minority, they still made up about one-third of the Xenos, united by their mutual hostility toward surface dwellers. Ranieh words, in particular, were always infused with anger, hatred or perhaps something bordering on grief.

"So, is there something I can do for you?" The Courier asked.

"We were curious about you, the surface dweller who stood by us and went as far as to kill others to protect the Xenos," Gros replied.

"Judging by the way you speak, you are not fond of the 'surface dwellers', I presume?" Courier asked while the Gros smirked.

"That's quite an understatement. For years we have been hunted and captured by adventurers, the same types you have killed," He replied. "You know, there were other adventurers who in the end always sided with the surface dwellers."

"Gros," Ray chimed in, not liking the way the conversation was going. Lyd keeping a close eye on the gargoyle.

"Ray, let me finish," He said and turned towards the man. "However... you did. You stood by us when others did not. I didn't expect that. Thank you for doing so."

"You're welcome. Still, you seem reluctant to that idea," The Courier said.

"I admit, I am still worried you will end up stabbing us in the back," He said.

"... Finally! Somebody with head on their shoulders!" Courier exclaimed, everyone, blinking at the sudden outburst. "What I want to say is that you shouldn't trust me or anyone else on that matter only based on their words alone. However, I have proven that I am willing to risk my own life for the Xenos and killed those who tried to use your kind for their own personal gain. That's a goods start, isn't it?"

"I agree with that, but where are you going with it?" The gargoyle asked.

"My point is that words are meaningless, only actions matter," He replied.

"Why?" Ranieh asked, gaining everyone's attention. "How can you keep acting like this? We are supposed to be monsters, the things the adventurers hunt down, why are so calm in a situation like this?"

"Well, that's not much of a problem, I am not an adventurer in the same strict sense. Heck, I don't even have Falna," He replied, which got the attention of everyone involved.

"You don't have... a Falna?" Ray asked, not able to believe her own ears.

"Yep, never had it. I kind of hate gods, they are a bunch of dicks," He admitted.

"I don't believe it," Ranieh said, while the Courier shrugged.

"Unless you have got something like a magic prop the Guild uses, I can't prove it," He said. At this point, the Guild knew about his lack of Falna. Telling Xenos wouldn't hurt him much.

"We actually have got one of those," Lyd said, everyone, turning towards him.

"You do? How?" Courier asked, not expecting that.

The lizard man smiled and replied, "The Xenos are working closely with the Guild and a few others Familias. They supply us, in exchange for helping deal with the problems in the Dungeon."

"That makes it so much easier then. Let's do this," Courier said and the group followed to the middle room, where everyone gathered, looking curiously at the scene unfolding in front of them. He dematerialized most of the armour, leaving only some basic trousers, the helmet with the oscillator and the bandages on himself, the Xenos looking surprised at the sight in front of them. He began taking them off from his chest, the monsters watching closely.

Gasps echoed across as the cavern, as more and more of the Courier's body was exposed, leaving nothing to the imagination. The female Xenos looked in awe, some blushing more than others, like Ray who was blinking, her cheeks tainted a faint shade of red. The scars, the physique was fully visible to everyone involved, even Ranieh could not stand idly, her mouth slightly open, her eyes spread wide open.

"Damn, that's a lot of scars, Uli," Lyd said, while the Courier glanced towards him.

"Uli?" He asked.

"Yep, it's shorter and sounds better too. Can I call you like that?" He said while the man snorted.

"Heh, sounds alright to me, sure, go ahead," He replied and let the lizard man do his job. Ray, Gros, Ranieh stood right behind him watching closely. As the seconds passed, nothing became visible, only scars remained, the Falna not appearing.

"...It's true," Gros admitted, not able to believe his own eyes.

"Told you so," Courier said, before he stood up and put his armour back on in an instant, some of the Xenos a bit disappointed.

"But how? It should be impossible," Ray said, her world view shattered.

"There is a lot in this world you don't know about, Miss Ray," He replied with a chuckle. "You know, that gives me an idea."

"What kind of idea?" Lyd asked.

"A simple one, could you gather everyone in the village? I would like to prove my point," He said.

"Sure, just give me a second, Uli," Lyd said before he barked some orders and gathered all the Xenos in the village, in one spot. Fear and everyone else was there too, the harpy smiling at him.

"Okay, everyone. I am going to ask you three very important questions, which I want you to answer by saying yes or no. And if you can't speak, just nod or shake your head, okay?" He asked while everyone else nodded. "Good, first question. Can you think?" The Xenos blinked, before they nodded, not sure where this was going on.

"What sort of question is this?" Gros asked, not getting what the man was doing.

"Just answer the damn question," He replied, while the gargoyle nodded. "Good, second question. Can you speak, write or communicate in one way or another?"

"Yes, we all can," Ray said, the Xenos nodding at her words. "But, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Patience, Miss Ray. Now, one last question," He said, drawing the suspense. "Are you currently trying to eat me, kill me or rape me? Maybe in a different order," He added as an afterthought.

"What, no!" Fear said, the Xenos disgusted at the very idea of it. She couldn't understand, why would she do that to the man in front of her.

"Then, you are alright in my book," He finished, everyone looking at each other, confused and not sure what had just happened.

"That's it? That's all it takes?" Ranieh asked, her mind filled with confusion.

"Pretty much. Most people I have met over the years tried to kill me first, no questions asked. So, my standards are pretty low compared to others," He admitted.

"They... did? But why?" Ray asked she had never heard of other adventurers killing each other for no reason. It boggled her mind, especially since the Xenos never fought between each other.

"Plenty of reasons to kill others. To get all my stuff, rape me, feed me to their dogs, burn me alive and see my squirm, just to name a few. If anything, you and the rest of the Xenos have been far kinder to me than most people were," He said, Xenos just staring at him.

"What... what are you?" Gros asked. He couldn't believe his own ears. The way the man acted, like he didn't care, which greatly confused him.

"I am a green octopus with five penises that feasts on the blood of the innocent!" He exclaimed, everyone just gaping at him with their eyes spread wide open. The sound of crickets spreading out throughout the Dungeon somehow. The silence lasted for a total of five seconds, before the lizard man chuckled, everyone, turning towards him.

"Geh, that's a nice joke there, Uli!" Lyd said, realizing it was nothing more but an attempt at humour.

"Of course it was, good job, Lyd," He said and gave lizard man a thumbs-up. That seemed to have worked, as everyone started to slowly relax, smiling between each other.

"But, you killing others wasn't a joke, was it?" Ranieh asked.

"No, why would it? You've seen the scars on my body, most of them came from my 'fellow humans'. The few that didn't? None of them was caused by Xenos or even monsters from the Dungeon. I have said it once and I will say it again, I have got nothing against you," He replied. At this point, the Xenos began talking between each other, the murmurs filling the cave. "Oh, and by the way, I am going to keep your existence a secret, so could you do the same for me? The gods wouldn't let me live if they found out about some of the things I did."

"Sure, Uli. We can do that for you," Lyd said, the man chuckling.

"Glad to hear. Oh, and since that's out of the way, I need to apologize. I lied when it comes to my name," He said, everyone, turning towards him.

"Really? Why?" Ray asked, a bit disappointed by the fact.

"I wasn't sure if I could trust you. I was simply being cautious," He replied and shrugged. "Anyway, I am Six, Courier Six to be exact. Pleased to make your acquaintance," He said and tipped his helmet at them.

"The pleasure is ours," Ray said with a smile, other Xenos nodding.

Once that happened, the Xenos surrounded him from all sides, all curious about him. Some who could speak, others who could not, as well as those who had difficulty with pronouncing words—every sort of monster gathered in front of the Courier. One by one he shook their hands or appendages, showing no reaction even as the silent large-category monster, a formiore, held out its massive hand toward him. In fact, even Fear walked up to him, still smiling despite what she had been through recently.

"Thank you for accepting us," She said, while the Courier scratched his head.

"I haven't done anything really, I am just treating you as anyone else I would," He said.

"That's what makes it so special," She said and extended her wing. He shook it before he got an idea.

"Hey, Fear, would like to test it?" He asked and pointed at his helmet.

"Test it? You mean your helmet?" She asked, the man nodding. "Can I?"

"Sure, here you go," He said, unlocked the helmet with a hiss, before handing it over to the harpy. She looked at the helmet, then at Courier's green eyes, the visor still red. She began watching it from every direction, some of the Xenos looking at is as well.

The only thing that remained was the oscillator, which the Xenos were also curious about. He let them touch it, an odd sensation spreading through their limbs, whenever they touched the object. Solid light was quite miraculous after all. In the meantime, a red-cap goblin approached him.

"It's an honour to make your acquaintance, Signor Six," She said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss...?" He replied.

"Laura, Signor Six," She replied and the two shook hands. "Mind If I ask, why do you wear so many bandages if you don't mind that is?"

"Scars, lot's of scars as you have seen. That and I don't like being seen naked, it makes me feel vulnerable, armour is my way to go," He explained. "Still, could you do me a favour and not call me, signor? Just Six will suffice."

"Of course, Sig... Six," She replied. The Courier smiled then watched as Fear put on the helmet, gasping as she did so.

"It's so bright in the cave! It's like on the floor eighteen!" She exclaimed, making the Courier chuckle, other Xenos even more curious about the helmet.

"It's night vision, it allows me to see in the dark. Pretty useful, isn't it?" He explained, the harpy nodding.

"How does it even work?" She asked, curious about the device.

"Trade secret," He replied,

"Aw, don't be like that!" She pouted.

The Courier chuckled at her behaviour before shaking his head. "Still no."

As he looked at the harpy, another smaller monster stepped up to him. It was an almiraj, with a loose blue battle jacket and with a broken pocket watch hanging around its neck like a pendant. The white rabbit looked up at the man with its cute round eyes. He knelt, getting to its level before he extended his hand.

"Kuuu!" The almiraj wiggled its long ears and leapt at him.

"Why are you licking me?" He asked as the monster cuddled to his chest, as he gently stroked its fur.

"Arles... She cannot speak, but it seems she's taken a liking to you," Ray explained.

"Really? Aren't you cute little thing," He complimented as he continued stroking her fur, the Xeno releasing a cute purr. Some of the Xenos giggling at the sight.

However, other Xenos wanted to say hello as well, so the almiraj regretfully let go, hopping away. The next one to meet his was Ranieh, with her lower spider half. The two stared at each other before the Courier extended his hand and waited. After a short consideration, she returned the handshake, her attention focused on the man in front of her.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Ranieh," He said.

"The pleasure is mine," She said before she let go. "I have got a request."

"And what kind of request are we talking about?" He asked.

"I would like to ask that you give a hug to any Xeno that asks for it, including me," She said.

He blinked as he processed the request. "Okay then... a bit of odd, if you ask me, but whatever. Just a fair warning, I am terrible at hugging, haven't done much of it."

"That's alright," She replied.

As much as she wanted to give the man in front of her chance, her past experiences with the adventurers made her distrustful and reluctant to give surface dwellers a chance. However, the man so far proved to be a bit different than most, but she wanted something more definite. A proof that he was fine with their presence.

She opened her arms and watched as the man, walked up to her. She was an arachne, a predator and at this close range, she could easily inject the man with deadly poison. If he was willing to trust her... not like this would happen. The man slowly got closer, and gave her a hug, bringing his neck close enough for her to bite. Some of the Xenos held their breath expecting something bad to happen.

However... nothing did. She didn't sense anything, nothing, no sudden movement, not a speck of disgust. It was... impossible. After a few seconds, the embrace was broken, the man stepping away.

"Satisfied?" He asked, the Arachne blinking for a few seconds.

"...Indeed," She replied and began walking away, giving one last glance to the Courier.

He released a sigh of pure relief, glad it went well. He was quite certain she would bite him right there and then. Shaking his head, he turned towards other Xenos. Once Ranieh did what she did, many more Xenos were more than happy to give him hugs, both male and female alike, some more than once. It was odd to say the least, odd, but pleasant.

This went on, until Ray arrived, giving him a smile. "It seems like everyone has accepted you so far, even Ranieh and Gros," She said.

"Seems that way, I am honestly surprised. Out of all the things to happen, I expected something a little bit different," He admitted.

The siren giggled and said, "You aren't the only one. Ranieh and Gros have been deeply hurt by the adventurers, it makes sense for them to be distrustful."

"I don't blame them, you Xenos don't have it easy with all the adventurers and such," He said.

"Indeed, in any event. I hope you will be staying with us, a celebration if you will," She said.

"A celebration, today?" He asked the siren nodding. "... I am afraid, I have to say no to that."

She blinked in surprise, her heart aching a bit, the Xenos turning towards them. "Why not?"

"It's not that I don't want to, but it's getting late and I would rather not worry a friend of mine. I promised to come back tonight. I will gladly come tomorrow and then we can celebrate, is that a good compromise?" He asked, the murmurs erupting between the monsters.

"... Very well. It would be rude of us to hold you back," She replied, her smile slightly weaker than seconds ago.

"Thank you for that, Miss Ray. I promise I will come tomorrow," He said and offered his hand. The siren looked at it before she walked up and hugged him on the spot. He paused, as the siren soft feathers surrounded him, before he returned the hug, gently patting her on the back.

"Be careful," She said, her cheeks tainted a faint shade of pink.

"I will, Fear if you would be so kind," He said the harpy reluctantly giving him the helmet.

"Are you sure you have to leave?" She asked.

"Afraid so, but only for a day. Oh, and before I forget, Miss Ray. I have put a trap at the entrance to the structure where your comrades were held. If possible, do not go there and watch from the distance. There could be other entrances, camouflaged on higher or lower floors, so take care, would you?" He said, the siren nodding.

"We will. The Guild will be informed and we will search for the entrances," She replied.

"Good, but don't go inside. We don't know what to expect or what sort of traps are there. For all we know, it could be rigged to collapse, to prevent anyone from reaching the heart of it. However, if we can cut them out from the rest of the world, they will most likely starve to death from lack of supplies," He explained.

"I see...," She replied, thinking of the potential threats.

However, before he could leave, the Xenos walked up to him and started to say their goodbyes. Some hugged him, some shook his hand, some just nodded at him. It took another few minutes, but once he was done, he turned around and left, waving his hand and leaving the Xenos behind.

"So, what do you think, Ray?" Lyd asked as he stood by his fellow Xeno.

She smiled at her comrade and said, "We have made a good friend it seems."

* * *

Letting out a sigh, the Courier began his trek towards the surface. On his way there, he switched back into his ordinary attire, not wanting to draw any more attention. As much as he wanted to stay, he promised Ryuu he would come back to the Hostess of Fertility tonight, it wouldn't do him any good to make her worry, he enjoyed her company after all.

Still, as he moved forward, he wondered about the Xenos and their issues. They were trapped in the Dungeon, not able to visit the surface because the adventurers would attack them. He honestly pitied them, since they had done nothing bad to deserve it. In a way, they were similar to ghouls and super mutants, which actually had human origin. And yet, NCR and many other groups looked down upon them, even employing mercenaries to harass their town.

It didn't sit well with him, but he couldn't simply escort them to Orario, not unless they had a place to stay, preferably far away from prying eyes. What he could do instead was bring the surface to them, well at least a part of it. Good thing he still had all those movies with him safely secured on the holotapes. The pipboy could play sound, music, radio, even movies, but it had a very small resolution. Luckily enough, he still had projector capable of playing those things. Whether or not he would show them, was a whole another thing.

Shaking his head, he focused on the road in front of him, clearing out the monsters that stood in his way. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity he arrived at the entrance of the Dungeon, the sun about to set. He made his way to the pub, sat at one of the free tables and waited for one of the waitresses to arrive. As luck would have it, it was Ryuu who decided to take his order, her hair once again dyed green.

"Good evening, Mister Six. What would you like to eat today?" She asked, a small smile on her face.

"Good evening, Miss Lion. A plate of spaghetti, if you would be so kind," He greeted, the waitress nodding before she went to get his order. He didn't have to wait long until she arrived and put the meal in front of him. "Thank you kindly, Miss Lion."

"May I ask, how did the exploration of the Dungeon go?" She asked, curious what happened once the two separated.

"Pretty well, I think. That reminds me, I will be gone for the next two days, most likely, just so you know," He said.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"Something came up and I can't ignore it," He replied.

"I see... Very well, please take care when you are gone," She said.

"I will, it definitely won't be as deadly as a giant carnivorous flower," He replied with a shrug.

"...What?" She asked, not expecting this kind of response. "What do you mean, giant carnivorous flower?"

"Well, there was this massive pitcher plant thing in the ground, which I fell into. There were bones, armours, weapons and such. It had an eye and two green tentacles, never seen anything like this before," He explained.

"Are you alright? You weren't hurt, were you?" She asked, giving him a quick look over, before releasing a sigh of pure relief.

"I am fine, thank you for asking," He replied.

"Where did you see it?" She asked. This didn't sound well, in fact, Ryuu had a bad feeling about it.

"If I tell you, will go investigate?" He asked while the elf nodded. The man sighed as he considered his options. "That's what I thought. I could tell you, but only if you promise me to be careful."

"I promise," She replied, the Courier watching her for a few seconds.

"Okay, it was on a floor eighteen. However, there could be more of them and things like traps. So, be careful, okay?" He replied while the elf nodded. "Don't make me regret it, Miss Lion."

"I won't," She replied, before going on to other customers.

The Courier bit his lip as he watched her leave. He shouldn't be worried, but too many times, people would go and risk their lives only to end up dead. Should he go with her? No, she could take care of herself. She wasn't stupid, she managed to kill entire Familia by herself, he probably underestimated her. With another sigh, he quickly finished the meal, before going back to his room.

First, he brought up his pipboy and checked his status, a relief flooding through. It seemed like the curse has been flushed out of his body. It was good, but he still had to test it out. So he dematerialized his armour, brought the spear up and stabbed himself. He checked the pipboy again and began counting, keeping a close eye on it, waiting for it to disappear.

The curse was potent, able to last an up to an hour with a single strike. Enough for any person to bleed out unless they had regeneration. Multiple hits extended the duration making it deadly against most opponents. What made it worse, was the fact that none of his items could get rid of it. Not antivenom, not healing poultice, nothing. And he still had no clue how it affected adventurers from this world.

If there was any consolation about it was the fact that he could still heal albeit at a slower rate than usual. His regeneration was able to easily counteract most hits, allowing him to stand still even while a rapid-fire machine gun unleashed hell on top of him. Mind you, he still had limits, too many of them, or a powerful hit and even he could die. It became evident when he fought deathclaws, implant GRX slowing down his healing rate. With a frown, he jumped into the bed, thinking of a possible solution to this newfound problem.

* * *

When the Courier woke up, he blinked owlishly, before making his way downstairs, having a quick shower on his way there. When he got downstairs, he didn't expect to see Ryuu working along with the rest of the waitresses. He was glad to see she hadn't immediately rushed in. He nodded at her, before making himself comfortable at one of the seats.

"Good Morning, nya," Anya greeted him.

"Good morning, Miss Formel," He said.

"What can I get you?" She asked, her tail swishing back and forth.

"A plate of scrambled eggs, if you would be so kind," He replied, while the female nodded.

He didn't have to wait long before the dish arrived and Anya went on to other customers. He wasted no time finishing the meal, before handing over the plates and heading towards the Dungeon, nodding at other waitresses as he left the pub. He also wanted to try some cooking again, maybe show some of his recipes to the Xenos. So with that in mind, he swung by the market, bought a lot of ingredients to feed all the monsters, before heading out towards Babel, the cost of which ended up at around ten thousand Valis. He had to buy them in parts too, so the merchants wouldn't ask where he stored all of it.

A couple of minutes later, he arrived at the entrance of the Dungeon, before he descended into its depths, going straight to the floor eighteen. On his way there, he did his best to dispatch of any and all monsters standing in his way, before he found himself at his destination. Now, that he reached floor eighteen, he had only two more floors to go, before he would be back at the Xeno's village. That reminded him, he still had a lot of crap in his pipboy, most of it he had no use for, some of which the Xenos could possibly use.

Finding a spot away from prying eyes, he brought the pipboy up and began browsing through all the junk items, he put in the misc category. Things like crappy guns, armours, clipboards, conductors, just to name a few. _Let's see_ _what can I show them. Definitely not weapons and armour, maybe some of the toys I have? _He could feel his eyebrows raise as he read all the labels of the items.

There were ninety-two baseballs, twenty-seven baseball gloves, seventeen basketballs, five full sets of balls for billiard, fifty-eight chessboards, two hundred seventy-nine Dinky the T-Rex Souvenirs, seventeen Nuka Cola trucks, one hundred forty-one Sunset Sarsaparilla deputy badges, one hundred and two teddy bears and last but not least ninety six toy cars. _That's a __whole lot __of junk, which I haven't sold. _He wouldn't give them all away, especially the T-Rex figurines and trucks among others. But, at the same time, he had no clue what to do with them.

Selling them was an option, but he already had plenty of money. Then a stray thought entered his mind. _What if I just gave them away for free to Xenos?_ That made him shiver like somebody just dumped a whole bucket of cold water on top of his head. Throwing them out was against his nature. The idea of simply giving stuff away for free was stupid as far as he knew, that much Wasteland taught him. However, keeping them forever in his inventory was also pretty pointless. _Okay, odds I give them away for free, even I keep them for myself._ He then tossed a single Valis in the air and watched as it fell, odd side fully visible. With a heavy sigh, the Courier resumed his journey, getting to floor twenty.

As he made his way down, he found himself at the floor nineteen. Navigating through the rock formation, he noticed something or rather someone falling down a slope. He drew his sword and activated VATS, getting a better look at the figure.

Its body was similar to that of a human girl: four limbs and a smooth body. Its shoulders, waist, and a few other areas were covered in countless scales. Long, bluish silver hair flowed down from its head, swinging from side to side as the creature slowly got up from its facedown landing spot.

The strikingly beautiful monster had dark-red eyes that sparkled like gems in the dim light. It shifted its distant gaze up toward the ceiling, which was blocked by the leaves of many trees. The figure had supple, delicate limbs that closely resembled those of a young girl. Azure-silver hair glistened in the light of the moss.

Besides its long, silky tresses, the being possessed skin of a bluish-white hue. The many scales covering its shoulders, lower back, and the long ears framing its face, tapering to even finer points than those of elves, were similarly coloured. But the most notable feature by far was the glimmering crimson jewel embedded in its forehead. Her stilted amber eyes glistening in the Dungeon.

Blue-white skin and a crimson jewel were just the first of many features that proved this creature was a monster. _A Xeno? A vouvire? _However, what brought his attention were the wounds covering the naked body of the female. They looked like they were made by both monsters and humans alike. The Courier frowned, made sure there were no adventurers nearby, put on his set of Elite Riot Gear before he set out towards her.

* * *

"Where... is this?" A vourive asked, her eyes slowly getting adjusted to her surroundings.

The ceiling, walls, and floor in this area of the labyrinth were all tree bark. Moss thickly covered its surfaces, illuminating the passageway in a bluish-green light. It gave the impression that not a soul had ever set foot in this part of the Dungeon. The reverberations of distant monster howls made leaves tremble, prompting beads of silver to dribble off sundry fantastical flora.

She was alone and confused, her mind dizzy. She didn't know what to do, her mind forcing her to stand up and go. She saw a dragon, one of her kind, similar, but different. She walked up to it, wanting answers. What she found instead was pain, as the monster, a wyvern, slashed her with its razor-sharp claws, the blood falling on the ground, making her scream from the agony.

She turned around and ran, the monster roar heard not far behind her. _Why...? _Tears, dripped from the corners of her eyes as she ran, blood droplets falling on the floor, tainting the ground red. She ran, ran until she came across a group of humanoids, wearing armour, a total of six standing in front of her, all of them male.

"Help... me," She pleaded, the adventurers stopping in their tracks. Then one of them yelled and slashed with his sword, blood spewing out of the fresh wound. She screamed again from the anguish before she turned around and ran. _Why...?_

"After her!" They yelled, an ominous look evident in their eyes.

She ran, and ran, until she slipped and slid down a slope, her body tumbling on the hard rock. She tried to stand, but her left leg refused to. With tears in her eyes, she noticed a small indent in the structure and managed to drag herself to it, before she fell on her knees and went as deep inside of it as she could. The little leaves and grass growing there acting as a makeshift camouflage. She was alone, her pursuers not far off from her, tears falling out of her eyes.

"Why are you here?" A voice asked.

She looked up, her eyes spreading wide open. A sight straight out from hell greeted her. Red eyes shining in the darkness, a blue halo-like structure on its head and armour similar to the attackers. She raised her arms in a feeble attempt to stop the thing in front of it from hurting her. She waited, and waited, but... nothing came. Slowly she opened her eyes and watched as the creature in front of her knelt, looking over her, but differently than her pursuers.

"You're one of the Xenos, aren't you? Why are you here?" He asked, his voice definitely male.

"X-xeno?" She asked, the creature in front of her looking right in her eyes.

"Do you know what a Xeno is?" He asked she shook her head, still fearful of the one in front of her. "I see... That explains it," He muttered to himself before he gestured to the wounds covering her body. "You're wounded, why?"

"I... they hurt me," She said and gestured to the cave behind her.

"They? You mean adventurers and monsters?" He asked while she nodded timidly. She wasn't sure if they were really called that, but she had a feeling she was right. The Courier sighed as he materialized a healing poultice, the vouvire eyes spreading wide open and gestured to it.

"It's a medicine, it will help you and hurt a bit, is that alright?" He asked.

She looked at the man, then at the bag. "Will it hurt... a lot?" She asked.

"A bit, it's that or a bitter drink, which you will have to drink," He said as he materialized a bottle. "You will have to down in all in one go, otherwise your stomach won't be able to hold it."

She looked between the items before she gestured at the bottle. She took it, her hands shaking before she tasted it and immediately coughed. "It's bitter..."

"Told you so, I can still give you the other one," He said and motioned to the poultice.

She shook her head and downed the bottle in one go, immediately coughing as a result. However, as soon as the medicine entered her body, the wounds on her body began to heal in front of her very eyes. The scales regrew, the skin mended, leaving little to no scarring, only healthy tissue behind. The only thing that remained was her leg, which she could not properly control.

However, before she could voice her thoughts, the man in front of her materialized a Doctor's Bag and began cleaning her wound. She winced as he reinforced the limb with a bit of wood, her left leg covered in a white sheet of bandage.

"Better?" He asked and he gestured to the leg. She nodded, while the Courier breathed out a sigh of pure relief.

"Glad to hear it. Now, you can't stay here. It's too dangerous. I can take you somewhere safe, but you will have to trust me, can you do that?" He asked and extended his hand in her direction, the palm directed towards the sky.

She looked at it, at the five digits, before she slowly reached for it, stopping before she could touch it. She gulped and slowly placed her hand in his, the fingers closing, feeling warmth despite the armour. Then, the Courier slowly began pulling her upward, making sure she wouldn't fall and keeping her stable. Then, just as she was about to stand, she hissed, before she lost it and fell on the man's chest, the hands embracing her.

"Are you alright?" He asked, the girl nodding.

"There it is!" She heard, her heart-stopping for a moment as she glanced behind the man, the same group that injured her in the first place.

"What the hell is that?" One of them asked, the adventurers drawing their weapons, as she huddled closer to the man, shaking from fear.

"Don't know, never seen anything like it. Oi, there, are you an adventurer?" Another one asked.

The Courier turned his head towards the group, most of the group around level two or three at most, judging by their health. Adding two and two together, he had a pretty good idea, of what had the girl in front of him experienced not too long ago. She was probably born not too long ago, tried to get help was first attacked by the monsters and then came across the adventurers. And the way the looked at her... like she was a prey for them, the lust in their eyes clear.

"Depends on who's asking," He replied.

"Heh, good joke. Now then, hand the vourvire over, we saw her first," One of them said.

"And you hurt her first too?" He asked while the man narrowed his eyes.

"Why does it matter? It's a monster," He replied. "If anything, her death will make us rich. If you hand her over we will even split some of the rewards with you."

The vouvire trembled, as she looked up at the Courier's face, the man glancing towards her before he turned towards the adventurers and snorted. "I have got a better idea. You can either leave, forget what you saw or..."

"Or what?" One of them asked.

"Or you can die, the choice is yours to be made," He replied. The adventurers looked between each other, before they laughed heartily, none of them taking the guy in front of them seriously.

"Hah, that's a good joke. Now, hand the girl over. The boys here and I want to have some fun with her," He said, the group preparing their weapons, some licking their lips at the naked monster.

"Don't look," The Courier said, before he gently brought the monster's face to his chest, preventing her from seeing what he was about to do.

She did as told, her eyes closed. The Courier looked at the group, materialized Thump-Thump, aimed it with one hand and pulled the trigger. The grenade soared through the air before it landed right in the middle. The explosion rocked the Dungeon, killing the adventurers instantly, their bodies blasted into pieces. However, the sound echoed across the Dungeon, travelling around it and alerting both adventurers and monsters alike of the accident.

He frowned, there was no time to spare. "Stay here, I need to do something," He said. The girl opened her eyes, looked at him before she nodded.

He turned around and rushed forward, quickly transferring all the items the adventurers possessed to himself, leaving them completely naked. The girl turned a shade paler, trying her hardest not to look at bodies of those that tried to hurt her just a moment ago. Then, he walked up to the girl and picked her up, bridal style, electing a yelp of surprise, before he rushed forward, keeping to the side and travelling to the floor twenty to the Xeno's village.

She didn't know what to think just yet, her saviour both equally scary and kind at the same time. However, for the first time in her life, she felt safe in his embrace and cuddled closer, as she watched the walls of the Dungeon go pass her.


	12. Chapter 12

"So, do you have a name?" The Courier asked as the two stayed in one of the side passages, waiting for a group of adventurers to go past them, the Xeno standing on her own, her face buried in his chest.

The vouvire shook her head, her attention solely on the man. "No..."

"I see... I am Six, Courier Six," He introduced himself.

"Courier... Six?" She asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Just call me Six, it's easier to remember anyway," He replied.

"Six, Six...," She muttered trying to get a good grasp at the name.

"Now, you should have a name too, don't you think?" He asked while the girl nodded slowly. "Would you like me to give you one?" He asked. _Please say no, I am horrible at naming things. _Unfortunately for him, the monster in his arms opened her mouth, closed it, before she nodded once again. "Alright then... Give me a moment."

He looked at the naked monster in his arms, her scales and intimate places all fully visible. However, to him, it didn't matter. Considering the number of people and creatures he stripped of gear and anything valuable over the years, it was a sight he got used to. _Let's see, the gem on her forehead looks like ruby, so maybe Ruby? No, that sounds cliche as fuck. Scaley? Somehow it sounds even worse. Come on brain, help me here! _There was no response, the Courier sighing internally. _What now? Am I supposed to call her after one of the brands of the wine? Wait a moment, wine? Wine... Wineee, no, Wiiine, no, Winie..._

"Winie," He muttered mostly to himself.

"Winie?" She asked, making him look down at her. _There's no way this is going to work. _

"Well, kind of. I mean, it's a name I came up with, but if you don't want it, just say so," He replied.

The Xeno blinked and repeated the word. "Wiene…? Me…Wiene?" She asked. Then at that moment, her face lit up and she gave him one of the purest most innocent smiles he had ever seen in his entire life.

"Six, Six!" She said and rubbed her face against his chest, her smile so powerful it stopped him in his tracks. _So cute... _Then he realized what he just thought and horror came on his face. He was glad the helmet was still on, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to look straight at her. He was Courier Six, one of the deadliest people to ever walk Mojave Wasteland and here he was getting his breath stolen by an innocent girl. _How__ have__ the mighty fallen__..._

"So... you like it, I guess?" He asked while the monster nodded. "That's great to hear. Now then, let's get a move on," He said, gently picked her up bridal style and the two resumed their journey to the floor twenty. The Xeno cuddled close to him, releasing a sigh of pure content, her beautiful smiled directed at him. _She is way too innocent for this world... _

Then he remembered how close she came to dying by the hands of the adventurers. He couldn't protect them, not all of them, that much he knew. And why would he? He was a courier, not a hero that strived to save everyone and everything in existence. If the opportunity arose, he took it, like that time with Weathers and such. However, unlike the followers who tried to help everyone, he always thought about himself first, never doing anything for free. Back in the Mojave, the altruism was easily taken advantage of.

Still, the time spent with the girl in his arms only reinforced his opinion. The Xenos were not monsters and didn't deserve to be treated like this, same with ghouls and super mutants bar the crazy ones. Shaking his head, he focused on the road in front of him. Due to Wiene being in his arms, he had to avoid combat at all times, even if it meant running away or just straight out hiding. It was one of the drawbacks of the stealth field. It only worked on him, unless he were to give Wiene a stealth boy. That itself was risky considering how detrimental they were to the nightkin, making them go insane from the usage. Schizophrenia was not a nice thing, to say the least.

Of course, there were still those slavers and the structure to take care of. However, he couldn't simply waltz in and expect them to commit suicide. They would probably fight to the last member. If the Xenos and the Guild could keep them contained it would go a long way at keeping the Xenos safe. He had to come up with a solution, something like a transportalponder. Although, there were no satellites in this world, not that it would work underground. It took a bit longer than usual, but the duo finally arrived at the entrance to the village, the lake spread out in front of them. He gently set Wiene on the ground, making sure she was stable before he gestured to the waterfall.

"See that waterfall, there?" He asked, the girl nodding in response. "That's where we have to go. We will have to swim through the lake."

"I... I can't swim," She said, her attention on him.

"I figured as much. I will swim and you will hold on tightly to me, okay?" He said while the girl nodded.

"Okay...," She muttered, the two walking into the water which was relatively warm, somewhere around twenty degrees.

The girl still shivered a bit when her leg entered the liquid, but she managed to go all the way, till her waist was fully submerged. The Courier then knelt and let Wiene's arms wrap around his neck before he pushed himself off the bottom and began swimming using classical style, the one that looked like a frog. He kept his watchful eye on the Xeno, making sure, she was not slipping.

A minute later, they swam through the waterfall, both getting wet, before they stood up. Just like the last time, he saw Xenos turning towards them, alarmed, only to recognize him, their bodies relaxing.

"I am back," Courier said, as he left the water behind, Wiene holding close to his back, the water dripping from their bodies.

"Welcome back," Ray greeted him, as she descended from the sky and glanced at his back, where Wiene did everything in her power to stay out of sight. "I see you brought someone with you."

"Pretty much, didn't plan for it. Now, Wiene, come introduce yourself," He urged the girl, who peeked out from behind him.

"Hello...," She muttered, her gaze focused on the siren.

"Wiene... it's a very good name. I am Ray, a siren. It's nice to meet you," She said and extended her wing in the form of greeting. Wiene blushed, squirming as though she were being tickled after the compliment on the name given to her.

The girl looked at the Courier, who gently nudged her forward before she nodded and slowly stepped forward. "Wiene...," She said and shook Ray's wing.

"See, they are friends, Xenos, just like you," Courier said, the girl turning towards him before she noticed all the Xenos looking at her. She tensed, looking like she wanted to make herself invisible. With a sigh, the Courier gently patted her on her head, causing her to turn towards him. "It's alright, I am here."

She nodded and smiled weakly, before the siren smiled and led them inside, other Xenos watching their every move. After that the Xenos walked towards them, Wiene embracing his right arm with her naked body, still a bit tense. The first one to greet the newcomer was Fear, who smiled at the duo.

"Hello, I am Fear, a harpy. It's nice to meet you, Wiene," She greeted.

"Nice to meet you... too," Winie said, the harpy smiling at her, her wing extended.

The vouvire shook the wing, a small smile spreading on her lips. Once that happened, other Xenos came to say hello, the girl greeting them one by one. She slowly relaxed, the Xenos being very hospitable and giving her warm reception, so much so, she only held his arm with her one hand. That went on until Arles arrived and jumped on top of the Courier.

"Hi there, Arles," He greeted, as he gently stroked the fur of the almiraj.

"Kuuu!" She said and let the Courier pet her.

"Uuu..." Wiene pouted as she looked at her fellow Xeno, her eyes narrowed. It only got worse, when Fear walked up to him, the Courier nodding at her, like her treasure was about to be stolen. "N-no! You can't have, Six, no!"

She physically pulled off the Xeno, who yelped as she latched on to the Courier. The Courier laughed in response as he looked at the obviously jealous girl, ruffling her hair in the process. "Wiene, be nice."

"Uuu...," She said, looking him straight in the eye.

Ray giggled as she watched the spectacle unfold. "It seems like she got attached to you. That reminds me, how did you two meet and why is she naked?"

"Well... I kind of saved her life from a bunch of adventurers, healed her wounds and brought her here. She was already naked when I found her," Courier explained.

"Adventurers... huh? What happened to them?" She inquired.

"Dead," He replied shortly, Wiene turning towards him.

"I see... I wish we could avoid fighting, but...," She started.

"They didn't give me much of a choice. It was either them or Wiene and if I let them go, they would have told others. It was a lose-lose situation," He said.

"That's too be expected. Now then, we should bring some clothes for Wiene, shouldn't we?" She asked and told Fear to bring some of the spare clothes they had. "However, they weren't the slavers, were they?" She asked, the Courier shaking his head.

"Sla...vers?" Wiene asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Nasty people, very nasty. Six here saved me and a few others from them," Fear explained, a bag of clothes in her arms. Wiene turned towards her before she turned towards the Courier again.

"Really?" She asked the Courier nodding. She looked at the Xenos, then back at him before she gave him the same beautiful smiled and a hug on top of that. "Six is... nice."

"No, I am not, I am horrible!" He denied, the Xenos laughing, including Wiene, the Courier huffing. Although internally he enjoyed the hug, and her body being pressed against his. She was soft and warm, something he could get used to. Fear walked up to the girl and showed her the clothes, she once again hid behind the Courier.

"Uuu...," She muttered as she looked at the clothes.

"Wiene? Is there something wrong?" He asked the girl turned towards him.

"I don't want to," She said and gestured to the fabric. Fear and others blinked at the confession, not able to comprehend why would she say that.

"Why not?" He asked, the girl shaking her head.

"Don't like them," She replied, making the Courier chuckle.

"Wiene, look at Ray, Fear, Ranieh, just to name a few. They are all wearing clothes, I am wearing clothes," He said and gestured to his suit of armour, but the girl still shook her head. "Wiene, if you don't put on the clothes... I will be sad," He said and faked sobbing. "Wiene doesn't like me.."

"Six, don't cry," She pleaded, the Courier still faking the sobbing, the Xenos watching with knowing smiles.

She looked between the clothes and the still sobbing man before she reluctantly walked up to the harpy and began picking through them. The Courier smiled as he ruse paid off and watched as the girl picked up an article of clothing that would make an Amazon proud. A simple blue bra and pants that resembled more male underwear than anything else.

She turned towards him and asked, "Six... happy?"

He nodded, walked up to her and gently patted her on the head, the girl releasing a soft sigh. "Yes, very happy, Wiene." She beamed at him, before giving him another hug as he gently patted her on her back. When she finally let go, she grabbed his right hand and didn't let. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I brought gifts!" And cursed himself internally for the bad luck.

"Gifts...?" Ray asked she didn't expect that. "You didn't have to."

"Perhaps, but you will get more use out of them than I will. I can't bring you to the surface, but I can bring the surface to you," He replied. "Mind If I take a seat? Standing in the entrance like this is not going to make it easier."

"Sure, come on, Six, follow me," Lyd said, as he walked up to them and gestured the Courier to follow him.

The lizard man took two of the wooden chairs located at a massive wooden table located in the cave and set up in this way so that every Xeno could have a good look at them, Wiene being able to sit next to him.

The Courier made himself comfortable, Wiene sitting on his right before he turned towards Ray. "Question, how many Xenos are there in general?"

"About one hundred give or take with the numbers shifting slightly spread over multiple villages. Not all of them can freely travel the Dungeon," She replied.

"You mean, there is more than this one place?" He asked the siren nodding. "Huh, didn't know that. Oh well. I was worried for a second I wouldn't have enough for all of you. So, without further ado, here you go, Miss Ray," He said and materialized a teddy bear out of nowhere.

It was a child's toy shaped like a little bear, made from soft fabric and stuffing used for play and comfort. It's bright pink fur with a smile, made the Xenos look in awe. Ray blinked a bit before she gently received the bear and gave it a good look. She smiled before she turned towards him.

"It looks so soft and fluffy... Is that really alright, giving them to us? She asked, biting her lip a bit.

"I don't see why not. Where I come from nobody wants them anyway, they prefer weapons, armours, money etc," He replied, Wiene looking at the teddy bear as if she wanted to say something.

With a chuckle, he materialized another one and gave it to her. She looked between the toy and her arms, which were still wrapped around Courier's right arm before she let go with one hand and grabbed the teddy bear with other, her smile so pure, he smiled as well.

"So fluffy," She muttered, gently touching it.

"And just so you know, I also have got other toys, like this one," He said and materialized a baseball. "Hey, Lyd, catch!" He tossed the ball, the lizard man catching it easily.

"Oh, nice throw. What's it called?" He asked as he inspected the toy.

"It's called baseball. It's part of the game from where I come from," He replied. "I also have got these things," He said and materialized a chessboard and a basketball.

"What are those?" Fear asked as she looked over the chessboard.

"The chessboard is a game you play one on one. I will explain the rules later. The basketball right here is similar to baseball, except you play it differently," He replied. "So, who wants one?" He asked, the Xenos raising their hands in the sky.

After that, each Xeno came one by one to receive the toy of their own. Fear, harpies and other female Xenos preferred the cute teddy bears, while Lyd and other males like balls more, throwing them at each other. Some smaller Xenos or more animal-based ones like Arles and hellhounds also took the balls, since they found them easier to play with.

To his surprise, even Ranieh and Gros came along with the rest of their group. And to top it all off, the Arachne took her helmet off. Her white skin and hair, along with red eyes reminded him of Yamato Nadeshiko. While some of the members were still reluctant to his presence, they were willing to give him a chance, especially after the latest events. He waved his free hand at them, Gros returning it, while Ranieh simply nodded.

"So, what can I get you?" He asked.

"I would like a teddy bear," Ranieh replied.

"And I would like a basketball as you called it," Gros replied.

He nodded, gave them toys they asked for and watched with amusement as the might gargoyle tossed the ball up and down. As for Ranieh, she actually managed to smile a bit, something she immediately corrected when she saw him looking at her. He chuckled a bit under his breath, the Arachne flushed, as more and more Xenos came for the toys.

As he looked at the Xenos playing with the toys he provided, even the giant dragon, rolling the basketball between his feet, Ray walked up to him, clutching tightly the teddy bear she got. "Thank you for everything, I am not sure how we can ever repay for all the things you have done."

"Seeing you smile is a reward itself," He replied with a chuckle, the siren blushing, Wiene looking at her with a hint of jealousy. "Say, Ray, where can I drop off other toys? Not all of the Xenos are here, correct?"

"That would be correct. I will arrange something," She replied before she turned towards other Xenos. "Everyone, let us celebrate our new friend!"

"Woo!" The Xenos roared and got down to work.

The Xenos wasted no time preparing the table. He watched as the monsters brought food, drinks, plates, utensils and many more. Wine, steaks, vegetables, among the others, covered the surface of the tables. The Xenos set his place in the middle of the table so that others could see him clearly. On his left sat Ray, with Lyd next to her.

On his right, there was Wiene and Gross, followed by Ranieh. Other Xenos did their best to get places as close as they could to him. Seeing food in front of her, Wiene smelled the fragrance, trying her best to decide what to eat. She extended the hand towards one of the dishes, but before she could grab it, he stopped her.

"You can't eat without using the utensils," Courier said as he grabbed a fork and a knife, showing how to use properly. "See, like this."

"Okay," The girl replied before she reluctantly put the teddy bear between her legs and grabbed the utensils. As the girl went on to get some of the food on her plate, the Courier turned towards the siren.

"That reminds me, miss Ray, what do Xenos eat regularly?" He asked.

"Please call me Ray," She asked, while the man nodded. "As for your question, we can eat the same thing as adventurers or monsters, including magic stones," She replied, while the Courier frowned.

"You eat magic stones? You mean like the strengthened species?" He clarified. Rarely in the Dungeon a monster would attack other monsters and become stronger by eating their magic stones.

"Yup, like this," Lyd said and ate a magic stone in front of them. His body glowed for a moment and the Courier watched with attention as a surge of magic energy travelled through the lizard man's body. "See?"

"Damn, that's pretty useful, wish I could do that too," The Courier admitted, while the monster chuckled. "Actually, let's test it."

"I don't think you should do that," Lyd said, while the Courier chuckled.

The man then took off his helmet with a hiss and handed it over to Ray, leaving only the oscillator behind. The siren began inspecting it along with Lyd, other Xenos watching closely. Then he materialized a small magic stone he found at one of the goblins, threw it in his mouth and swallowed it one swift movement. However, instead of the surge of energy like the lizard man experienced, the magic stone began to react violently in his stomach.

He chocked, as the immense pain registered itself in his mind before it felt like a stick of dynamite just exploded in his stomach along with the appropriate sound, blood coming out from his mouth. All around him, the Xenos watched in horror, some of them yelling something, even Wiene held his arm tightly, before it started to subside, the man breathing heavily. _Thank god for the artificial spine or the pain would have been unbearable._

During his adventurers, he was forcefully lobotomized, his spine, brain and heart removed and replaced with their advanced cybernetic version. It was not a nice experience, but the benefits they provided were worth it, especially when his brain returned to his body. His torso and spine could no longer be crippled, he was immune to poison, all healing items were more efficient, the pain only registered as the signals allowing him to fight on without drugs and to top it all off, he was more resistant to damage. Unfortunately, the Xenos didn't know about it and were all panicking all around him.

"Six, Six!" Wiene cried, tears fully visible in the corners of her eyes.

"I am... fine," He replied as he leaned back in the chair, the Xenos watching closely.

"Do you need a potion or medicine, can we do something?" Ray asked, now standing behind him, looking all over him, worry evident in her eyes.

"No, it's... fine. I had worse, but still, remind me to never to eat those things," He said and coughed.

"Are you certain you don't need any help?" Lyd asked, not wanting their first friend to die from a magic stone.

"Yeah, I am. Honestly, I am surprised myself, I expected something to happen, but not... this. Well, at least I know what to call it, Explosive Diarrhoea!" He said, everyone, looking at him with a deadpan. "... Sorry, couldn't resist."

"That was awful," Ranieh voiced her opinion, the Xenos nodding at her.

"Oh, shush you," He retorted, while the Arachne smiled smugly. The atmosphere began to relax, as everyone returned to their seats, although Wiene was still clutching his arm too tightly as far as he was concerned. "Now then, since we all gathered here like this, I can answer some of your questions. Fear?"

"Um... Are you sure you don't need any help? It looked painful," She asked, the blood was still visible on the table after all.

"I am fine it's not even the worst injury I have ever suffered anyway," He replied, before turning towards Lyd. "Lyd?"

"How do you make things appear out of thin air? Is it magic?" He asked.

"Trade secret, all you have to know is that I can't use magic," He replied and turned towards the siren. "Ray?"

"Why did you eat that magic stone? It was irresponsible, to say the least," She chided, not fully convinced by the man's words.

"Well, it's a bit of shtick of mine. I blame my own curiosity for it, almost got killed more times than I can count because of it," He replied, while the siren frowned.

"Really?" Lyd asked while the man nodded, Wiene watching closely.

"Yep, I am not the sanest or most cautious person, to say the least. Like this one time, I had a bomb strapped to my neck or that time when a massive flaming bear tried to eat me when I took some herbal tea or...," He said, while the Xenos just stared at him, their eyes and mouth spread wide open.

"You... had a bomb strapped to your neck? Why?" Ray asked, not able to comprehend why would anyone do that.

"Yup, although it's not like I wanted to, it was forced on me to put mildly," He replied with a shrug.

"How did you survive?" Ranieh asked her attention fully on the man in front of her.

"That's one hell of a story, long one too, would you like to hear about it? Just a fair warning, it's not for those faint of heart," He asked, while the Ranieh nodded, along with other Xenos. "I see... in that case, have you ever heard of a Sierra Madre casino?" He asked, a bit of an evil grin plastered on his face.

"What's a casino?" Ray asked, not familiar with the word itself.

"Well, it's a place where you can lose all your money playing stupid games basically, people lose their entire life savings there quite often. I suggest you stay away from them," He replied, while the Xenos looked between each other. "So, how about it?" The Xenos nodded reluctantly. "Alright then, but first we need a proper atmosphere."

The entire population of the cave gathered in front of the courier, as he stood in front of them, his helmet resting on Ray's lap as she watched the man pace back and forth. Other Xenos sat on the ground in front of him, Wiene sitting next to the siren and Lyd, keeping a close eye on her. It took a bit of convincing to separate her from him. The lights were dimmed, only his oscillator and the helmet being the biggest sources of illumination.

"Now then, have you ever heard of the Sierra Madre casino? The legends, the curses? Foolishness about it lying in the middle of the city of the dead?" He started, stopping in front of them as the Xenos shook their heads, some shivered from the tone he took on. Then he resumed the pace, materializing a flashlight and lighting it up, the way his face would be illuminated. "A structure unlike any other, buried beneath a blood-red cloud, a bright shining monument luring treasure hunters to their doom."

He stopped, turned off the flashlight and smiled. "The opening of the Sierra Madre was supposed to symbolize a road to a brighter future, not just for the world, but for all who came to its doors. A chance for everyone to begin again... Except, the Sierra Madre never opened," He said and spread his arms. "It's still out there, preserved, waiting for someone... to crack it open. However, finding it... that's not a hard part, it's letting go," He finished, while the Xenos gulped.

"W-what happened, why didn't it open?" Fear asked, not liking the way the story was heading.

The Courier chuckled, his green eyes lacking the same warmth it had not so long ago, making everyone feel a bit on the edge, Wiene included. "An... accident, a spell, which prevented anyone from reaching for hundreds of years, that's all you have to know."

"So you found it, didn't you?" Lyd, asked, while the man nodded.

"Oh yeah, I found it and it was one of the most nightmarish experiences in my whole damn life," He replied, the Xenos looking between each other.

"H-how bad was it?" Ray asked while Wiene cuddled up to her, the girl definitely afraid.

"We are getting there...," He whispered and turned on the flashlight. "Imagine a city, an empty one. Nobody around, nothing alive around you, no Xenos, no monsters, no adventurers, only an eerie silence and blood-red mist floating above your head. You wake up alone, different, stripped of your weapons, armour, supplies, only a patchwork of clothing and one weapon in poor condition on you... Then, you try to swallow, but it's harder than usual, a necklace, a collar resting on your neck..." The Xenos winced as they imagined how it would feel to have something like this happen. "Then... you hear a voice, a blue ghost appears in front of you...," He said, the Xenos gasping.

"Ghosts don't exist," Ranieh said even though her voice cracked at the end, while the Courier chuckled.

"Oh, you poor, innocent child, you have no clue just how wrong you are," He whispered back, the aura of dread surrounding him, as the Arachne shivered. "Now, the ghost speaks to you, orders you, forces you to comply if you do not? Boom... your head is gone, the collar? A bomb," He whispered, making some of the Xenos looking a shade paler than seconds ago. "You comply, you take the weapon, look around, gather anything of value and inch by inch you move towards your objective."

"Then... you see a silhouette, a human, just like you, but... there is something wrong about it...," He muttered and crouched, his left hand on the stone floor the cave. "It's crouching, a rusty spear in its hand, breathing heavily... just like this," He said and did his best impersonation of one the ghost people from the Sierra Madre, the Xenos trembling from the sound. "You look closer, notice the details, the... clothing it's wearing, it's green visor turned the other way," He said and in an instant changed into the Hazmat Suit found at the Big Mountain facility, his oscillator gone and a knife spear in his right hand as he crouched just like the Ghost People did. "Just... like... this one."

Fear yelped, Wiene trembled, Ray stiffened, Lyd and Gross reached for their weapons, while other Xenos palled even further at the sight in front of them.

"The Ghost People... they hunt, they stalk, they kill and then...? They drag you right into the Cloud...," He whispered as he shuffled towards them, the movement unnatural, the Xenos backing away from him. Lyd exposed his teeth, a low growl emitting from him, making the Courier stop. He turned towards the lizard man, titled his head to the side, turned around and walked back to the place he started at, crouching just like the Ghost People did. "Then... you die, your corpse is stuffed into one of these and then...? You become one of them...," He said, the Xenos gasping, shivering and some looking like they were about to faint. "... when that happens, having your necktie go off, would be mercy...," He finished, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"You fight, you kill, the Ghost falls on the ground dead...," He said and fell on his back, imitating the movement. "You think... it's over, you take a few steps forward...," He said and wheezed like the Ghost People did, before standing up in an unnatural manner, his posture leaning forward. "The Ghost stands up... you watch in horror as it shuffles towards you... then... it lungs forward!" He exclaimed, repeating the movement, Lyd standing in front of the Xenos, acting as a protector.

The Courier turned towards the lizard man, who was struggling to keep his nerves in check. He titled his head to the side. "You panic and strike... a vicious blow, which decapitates the ghost," He muttered as he jumped back, and threw the helmet to the side, before putting on his Elite Riot Gear and the oscillator. "You wait... and wait... and wait... the ghost is dead, this time for good," He finished, the Xenos gulping loudly before he took back the helmet.

"H-how did it survive?" Ray asked, Wiene clinging to her like a child to its mother, pure terror on her face.

"The ghosts... they don't die easily... You stab them, they get back up, you smash them, they get back up, you blast them with magic, they GET BACK UP," He exclaimed the last part, the Xenos gulped. "To kill one? Dismember their limbs, turn them to ash, blow them apart...," He replied.

"T-there were more of them, Sig...Six?" Laura asked while the man nodded, even Arles was scared, her ears standing upright.

"Hundreds, thousands of them... lurking in the city, in the sewers... they listen, they wait, they move towards sound... make a loud noise? They will surround you, cut you into pieces, drag you into the cloud...," He said, Xenos, doing their best to not panic. Even the massive dragon in the back seemed unnerved by the story. "And... that's not even the worst part of it..."

"There's... more?" Ranieh asked, losing her composure a bit, before she managed to calm herself down a bit, her skin paler than ever before.

The Courier nodded and continued, "You walk through the city... you enter your destination... then a sound, a bad sound that makes you step back, the sound the ghost told you about... Beep, beep, beep," He said, the Xenos confused by it.

"W-Why is it a bad sound?" Ray asked while the Courier chuckled.

"The sound...? A warning, stay too long? Your head is gone...," He replied, the Xenos gasping. "Magic, no longer working properly, all over the city, each one... a guaranteed death... but... their source? It can be destroyed. You look around... find the source, destroy it... boom, the sound is gone...," He said, the Xenos letting out a sigh of small relief, still very much on the edge. "But... it's just one of many, all deadly..."

His gaze directed at the crowd. "You complete your objective, move on to the next... then you see a ghost, but different from the ones you fought... Blue, translucent, just like this one...," He said and gestured to the oscillator on top of his head. "... it attacks, it hurts... you strike back? Nothing, just like a light, intangible, useless to fight... You run, avoid, hide... then you find a crystal powering it, crack, gone..." He said the Xenos focused purely on him. "Many more of them, all around the city... Fighting them? Suicide."

He breathed in then out, before he crouched once more. "Time for another objective, two of the team gathered, one left."

"A-a team? I thought there was nobody left there, but ghosts," Ray said, the Courier shaking his head.

"Not really, no. There were more, three more prisoners, all with bombs on their necks. Gather them all, let nobody die, if they do? Booom, you die as well," He explained, the Xenos gasping.

"The bombs... they were connected?" Gros asked as he tried to imagine who would be capable of such cruelty.

"Connected, linked, one death makes everyone else die, necessary...," Courier replied, his head tilted to the side.

"Necessary?! Why would they be necessary?!" Lyd asked, his emotions getting better of him.

"Calm down, your rage won't change the past," Courier said his voice neutral once again, the lizard man slowly calming down. "You think I was the first or the only one to ever find the Sierra Madre? No, there were dozens, hundreds of others, all lured by the vision of the treasure. They could have made it, cracked the casino open, but they didn't... Why? Because of greed, greed is in the blood after all. They turned against each other, killed by those they tried to help, failures upon failures," He said, Xenos, looking between each other.

"B-but I don't understand, why would they turn against each other?" Ray asked.

"It's quite simple really, Ray. In a way breaking into the Sierra Madre is easier than breaking human nature, something I hope you will keep in mind when dealing with others. Now then, where was I?" He asked nobody in particular before he snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, third member. You walk towards your objective, then you hear a click before three bombs roll underneath your feet," He said, the Xenos gasped. "You jump!" He jumped away from the crowd. "It's too late, boom, the bombs explode, you almost die again."

"You go slowly, watch for traps, keep your eyes open, slowly and surely you find your third member, but... something is wrong. He wants you to sit, you comply and then you hear this, 'Get up without my permission, I will blast your ass so far through your head, it'll turn the moon cherry pie red'," He said, the Xenos shivered. "You explain your situation, the third member reluctantly follows, first part of the plan is done."

"Wait, you mean, it's not over? After all the things that happened?" Gros asked the Courier nodded.

"Yep, the Villa, the one I travelled? Safer than others, fewer ghosts, fewer traps than other places," He replied, the Xenos not able to say a word. He turned on the flashlight and whispered, "From there, it only gets worse... Cloud, deadly, slowly eating away your insides, bringing you to the brink of death... but, concentrated? In less than a minute it will kill almost anything... You travel, you fight, the ghosts come and go, they have got bombs of their own," He said and Lyd choked.

"T-they had bombs as well...?" He asked the Courier nodding.

"Many threats, too many, but nowhere near as dangerous as the casino itself. Only when you complete your objective, gather your team at their appropriate places, you can now trigger the gala, a way to make the casino open once again...," He said, before taking his breath. "What happened in the casino, to my team? I will leave it to your imagination, all you have to know are the last words of the man behind the collars... 'You. I know you can hear me. When you die, Courier... I'll be waiting here... at the Sierra Madre. Waiting.'," He finished an eerie silence surrounding him. Then with a swift movement, he produced a Sierra Madre chip and tossed it in the air, before letting it fall on the floor. He watched as the Xenos took in the sight of the chip. "Sleep tight, my little Xenos," He whispered.

The Cavern erupted into a panic, as the Xenos were doing their best to get away from him, as he let out a demented laugh, further unnerving them. The hellhounds whimpered, Gros, Ray, Lyd and Ranieh were pale as ghosts, Wiene was crying into Ray's body trembling all the way. Then the dragon roared stopping the Xenos for a moment and ending the panic attack. It took some time, but the Xenos finally managed to get themselves together, Wiene looking at him with fear, same with everyone else.

"So, are you better now?" He asked, the Xenos staring at him.

"Why... why did you make it so scary?" Ray asked the Xenos nodding.

"Because I wanted to show you, just how horrible the world can be. In a way, you are lucky, you didn't have to go through it yourself, but you get to hear about it from the only man to ever find the Sierra Madre and live to tell the tale," He replied. "I told you, it wasn't a nice tale."

"Nice?" Ranieh asked with her voice dripped in sarcasm. "It was horrifying, I have never been so scared in my entire life."

"Then the tale worked. Think of it as of warning. The world is not a nice place, be it the Dungeon or the surface," He said, before waiting a moment. "I could have made it less scary, I admit, but I wanted you to get a good picture of how it felt for me and those unlucky enough to find themselves there, even if I skipped some of the details. I hope, you will never have to go through anything similar."

However, the atmosphere was ruined, the party felt like it fizzled out. The Xenos confused and still not sure what to do, making the Courier sigh. "I am sorry, I didn't want to ruin this celebration like this."

The Xenos looked between each other before Lyd walked up to him and offered his hand. "Apology accepted, just don't tell any more stories like this today, okay?"

"I can do that," He replied and returned the handshake. He watched as the Xenos slowly walked up to him, making him tense. The first ones were Ray and Wiene who looked like they were about to cry. "You can slap me if it makes you feel any better."

The vouvire shook her head before she let go of the siren and hugged him closely. Just as he was about to question it, Ray also walked up to him and hugged them both, making him pause. "I am sorry, Six...," Wiene whispered, tears making his chest plate wet.

"Sorry...? For what? You didn't do anything," He said, not expecting this kind of response.

"I... we are sorry, you had to go through it, telling us... it must have been painful, wasn't it?" Ray clarified.

"It's alright, it happened a couple of years ago, I am better now," He tried to placate them, confused beyond belief. "Aren't you angry? Not the tiniest bit?"

"A bit... yes, but mostly... sad. I am sorry you had to go through all of it," Ray replied and squeezed him harder. All around him, the Xenos walked up to them and gave him one big group hug, leaving nobody behind and making the Courier speechless.

Compassion, empathy was a rare commodity in the Wasteland, something he rarely received from anyone or anything for that matter. It felt wrong... like he didn't deserve it..., but at the same time for the first time in... well, forever, he was surrounded by those who didn't perceive as a monster, a killer, a terrorist, but just a guy who had been through a lot. And for some reason, despite not having his heart in his body, he felt it ache, his emotions surfacing before he managed to force them back into his psyche.

He returned the hug and whispered, "Thank you, Ray, Wiene, everyone..."Then the monsters broke away from the embrace, giving him smiles all around.

"Now then, I believe it is time to make up for this gloom experience!" Ray exclaimed and with a thunderous roar, the party began for good.

* * *

"So, Fels, how did it go?" Ouranos asked as he awaited the response.

"Poorly, but not nearly as bad as it could have. Courier Six is... difficult to deal with, to say the least," He replied. "When I extended a partnership with the guild, he refused, not interested in becoming and I quote 'lapdog'."

Ouranos raised his eyebrow as he pondered about the way the man behaved. "... It seems like we have got a bit of a problem on our hands. Did he say why?"

"He wants nothing to do with gods, all gods for one reason or another," Fels replied. "He is also experienced and dealt with multiple assassination attempts."

"I see... Perhaps a god or a goddess is responsible for his general disdain of my kind, but for what reason, we have yet to know," He said.

"I believe that our best course of action is to wait and see. Telling anyone about his lack of Falna, even Ganesha and Hermes would be detrimental to the city, to say the least," Fels said.

"Indeed... Now then, regarding the Xenos and their capture, what did you find?" Ouranos asked. The Xenos contacted them through one of the Fels' inventions, which allowed two-way communication.

"There seems to be a second entrance to the Dungeon, just like the Xenos said. One of the entrances is located at the floor 18, but the door is made out of Orichalcum," He replied.

"Orichalcum? The rarest and the strongest of the metals found in the Dungeon?" The god asked, his second in command nodded.

"Indeed, the fact that one managed to get their hands on one means one of two things. The group behind the structure had first-class level adventurers able to reach lower floors, or..." Fels said.

"Or they could have bought it from other Familias, which would require millions of Valis," Ouranos ended. "Assuming the structure reaches from the surface, it's safe to assume the time needed to build it can be counted in decades, centuries perhaps."

"I believe that may be the case. However, the fact that the structure was kept secret for a very long time, means the second entrance needs to be located somewhere close to the Dungeon. I believe that Deadalous street might be a good candidate," He said.

"Possibly... I want you to investigate the street and the structure itself. We need to find out where are the entrances, but do not go inside, as it is too dangerous," Ouranos said.

"Just like the Xenos said," Fels added, the god nodding. "There is also the fact that Ikelaos Familia seems to be related to Xenos kidnapping. However, finding their god has proved difficult as he went into hiding along with the rest of his Familia."

"Indeed, now, what did you find about their saviour and the site of fighting?" The god asked.

"Very little I am afraid, too little in fact. The Xenos were reluctant to share any details regarding their saviour, going as far as to keep his name to themselves and only going by the nickname of 'Red Glare' whatever that means. They also refused to describe the battle itself or the attire he was wearing," Fels replied.

"Courier Six?" The god asked.

"Possibly, but for now it's hard to say. We would need a god to say whether they are lying or not and sending a god to the Dungeon is unacceptable as we know, same with bringing Xenos here. Not that they would comply if they got suspicious," Fels replied, before he continued. "The bodies were nowhere to be seen, probably taken by others to deny us intel. However... the battlefield itself was far more confusing. There were signs of fighting, blood stains and such, but..."

"But?" Ouranos inquired.

"Not a speck of magic or anything like this. The Xenos told us that the 'Red Glare' killed all the adventurers, but they refused to give us any concrete details. What we do know is that this person has killed over ten first-class adventurers including one level five all by himself in a few minutes at best," He replied.

"... This is way worse than we initially expected. Someone strong enough to kill a level four monster without the Falna and now this... Nobody can find out, no matter what," Ouranos said

"What about Ganesha and Hermes?" Fels asked.

"They can be told some details, mostly regarding the structure and the 'Red Glare', but lack of Falna and no magic have to stay a secret," He replied.

"Agreed, very well, I will begin my investigation of lower and upper floors in search of the entrances. It's going to take a while seeing how well hidden the last one was," He said.

"Very well, please take care of it, Fels," Ouranos said and watched as his second in command left the room with a nod, leaving him alone with his thoughts. "Red Glare, huh?"


	13. Chapter 13

The Courier watched as the Xenos finally returned his helmet to him, which he put on immediately. However, that wasn't the end of activities, as Ray stood up from her place and flew to a high spot in the cave before she turned towards him and other Xenos.

"Everyone, please enjoy this song for our new friend," She spoke, breathed in then and out and began singing.

The sound that followed, was unlike anything he heard before. Hearing the high-pitched notes, Wiene suddenly smiled with joy, while the Courier could feel his jaw drop to the ground. The siren brought one of her golden wings to her chest, singing happily and enjoying her solo with a smile on her face. There were no instruments or lyrics. The pure melody alone was enough to ensnare the hearts of her listeners. The scene, illuminated by quartz and magic-stone lamps, was so elegant and beautiful that it seemed to come from another world.

"Come on, Six!" Wiene encouraged and dragged him into the middle of the room, where other Xenos were dancing to Ray's singing.

"I can't dance!" He cried while the girl along with Fear and two other harpies dragged him onto the dance floor.

"Don't worry, we neither!" Fear said while Wiene giggled.

Once they dragged him into the destination they let him go and began 'dancing' on their own, if it could be called that. It looked more like they were moving their bodies to the beat, in a semblance of a dance. The same couldn't be said about the Courier, who was standing like a stick, sweating nervously. He couldn't dance, had never learned how to, not that he needed it. _This is going to suck..._

With a sigh, his shoulders dropped, before he began awkwardly 'dance', standing mostly in one spot and bobbing back and forth. He watched as the Xenos giggled at his horrible dance moves, more joining in and doing about as well as he expected. If there was one thing that he was horrible at, it was socializing with others. _I really need to get better at dancing..._

It was terrible, more than he expected. He was a warrior, a scientist, a survivalist, not a bloody dancer. The last party he attended involved cannibals, which didn't help in the slightest. Still, as he watched the Xenos dancing, he came up with a way or two that would make it this whole experience slightly better for everybody involved.

With his mind made up, he grasped Wiene's hand, making her blink and then swirled her around, two rotations happening one by one. The girl giggled as she ended up the rotation and gave him the same beautiful smile. He did the same for Fear and other harpies, which had seemed to liked it. That gave him an idea, while he had no experience at dancing, he did see the Rad Packs back at the Tops and had seen a holotape or was it a holodisc with a dance scene at one point, he could never tell those two apart.

He moved his left feet backwards, his left hand behind his coat, while he moved his right hand forward and bowed. "May I ask for a dance, Wiene?"

The girl blushed before she nodded timidly and lowered her left hand onto his palm. With a smile of his own, he stepped up to the girl, making her turn a shade of red brighter, her attention on the Courier. With a nod of his own, he moved to her right side, while Wiene moved to his right side, the two making a simple rotation. He repeated the movement, making a few more rotations, before switching sides and going the other way.

The Xenos watched with curiosity, some of them tried to repeat the movement, doing pretty damn well all things considered. It was a simple movement, a very basic one, but considering it was his first time since... well, forever, he was pretty damn proud of himself. After all, he couldn't even remember the last time he danced, if ever. The girl in his arms was smiling all the time as he made her spin on her feet, her giggling reaching his ears. To the side, he could see Fear looking at him with a hint of jealousy, the two harpies dancing together.

So, with a swift movement, he spun Wiene around and ended the dance, bowing in the process. "Thank for the dance, Wiene," He said, the girl nodding before he turned towards Fear and bowed towards her. The harpy smiled and accepted the hand, the two engaging in a dance of their own.

More and more Xenos joined the dancing, as Ray's singing echoed in the cavern, Wiene danced with other Xenos sending an occasional glance in his direction. He could see Ranieh and Gros dancing together, Lyd dancing with Wiene and many many more. Even the dragon back in the cave was bobbing it's massive head back and forth to the rhythm of the music.

However, after several minutes of Ray's constant singing, she finally stopped, the siren finally getting tired. During that time he had to change the partners multiple times, all of them female, including Arles and Laura. The latter two due to their lower pasture being a bit more tricky than others. The Xenos clapped, he along with them as Ray bowed towards them. However, that made him realize, the siren never got a chance to dance on her own, since she provided them with a source of entertainment. It didn't sit well with him, especially since all other Xenos got to dance.

With his mind made up, he walked up to the siren. "It was beautiful, Ray," He commended the siren, who blushed with a smile.

"Thank you, I am glad to hear it," She replied.

"You're welcome. Now, I think it's only fair, you get to chance to enjoy music and dance as well, don't you think?" He asked while the siren blinked.

"I would like to, but I am afraid nobody else can sing I am afraid," She replied.

"No need for that, give me a moment," He said and walked up to one of the empty walls of the cavern before he materialized a full-fledged jukebox out of thin air. The Xenos looked at the device confused beyond belief as they tried to figure out what the Courier was trying to do.

"What is that?" Ray asked as she inspected the device.

"It's called Jukebox, long story short, it plays music," He explained.

"Plays... music? How is even possible? Are there people inside?" She asked as she looked all over the device, not sure how it would work.

"Nope, no people, no magic, just pure undiluted SCIENCE," He replied and with a grin.

Then he began browsing through the available songs on the device before he found one fairly energetic song just right for the Xenos. With a grin of his own, he turned on the jukebox and listened as the Roundhouse Rock echoed through the cavern, the Xenos' shocked.

He twirled on his feet and with a beat in his feet, he walked up the siren. "May I ask for this dance, Ray?"

She blushed even more, before she accepted his hand and the two began dancing to the music, the Xenos not getting left behind, as they got over the initial amazement. He danced with the girl, spinning round and round, the siren giggling, their limbs interlocked. Up close, the girl was more even more stunning, her flawless skin and clear eyes full of energy. She and Wiene were both beautiful, neither worse than the other and having an opportunity to dance with them both was actually kind of pleasant, something he didn't expect.

The two continued to dance for the next minute or two before the song finally ended and was replaced with a song called 'Where have you been all my life'. It was a slow song, meant for pairs and such, which didn't sit well with him. The Xenos might have not been able to understand the words being spoken, but the tone of the song was obvious. A small part of him wanted to continue with the song, being close to Ray, but the more rational part of him won. So, he excused the siren, who seemed a bit disappointed by his decision and switched the song for something more fitting.

As insurance he set some of the songs in advance, to keep it from ever happening again. Among the songs, there were titles such as 'Uranium Fever', 'Great Atomic Power', 'Hydrogen Bomb'. They were much more energetic and with a beat in his shoes, he went back to dancing, sticking mostly to dancing with Ray, who seemed to enjoy it and giving both Wiene and Fear another chance for a dance with him.

The Xenos were breathing heavily from the exercise, sweat glistening on their bodies, as they moved to the beat, until the songs ended. The Xenos clasped as the songs stopped, some still more than ready to dance. However, it was for the best to end it, before it got out of control. So, he walked up to the machine, dematerialized it and then walked up to the Xenos.

"So, did you enjoy the music from the surface?" He asked, the Xenos nodding eagerly.

"They were amazing, I have never thought it would be possible to hear so many different kinds of tunes. Although, I couldn't tell what they were singing about," Ray admitted.

"That's given, they were made by people who spoke a different language. However, the beat and the vocals were solid, no?" He asked the siren nodding.

"Indeed, how about you, Wiene. Did you like them?" She asked as the turned towards the girl, who now had her teddy bear back in her hands.

Wiene nodded and said, "They were fun, dancing is fun."Then she walked up to the Courier and once again embraced his right arm. "I wanted to dance more with you..."

The Courier chuckled as he rubbed her head. "I will keep it in mind. Now then, do you have any questions?"

"I do," Lyd said as he walked up to him. "That device, you called it a 'Juke Box', correct? Where did you get it?"

"Trade secret," He replied. "Fear?"

"Is everything you do a 'trade secret'?" She asked, pouting at his deflection.

"Not really, no. It's more of the fact, that it would take a really long time to explain and there is no guarantee you would be able to understand it. Can you explain how to create a good quality sword, armour or a pair of shoes? It's the same thing," He explained.

"I see...," She muttered, trying to imagine one of the things Courier mentioned.

"Would it be possible to make another one and leave it here?" Ranieh asked. She and Gros were actually quite a surprise. The Arachne had a good sense of rhythm and even sparing a glance at her told him she enjoyed it just like other Xenos.

He gave her a grin and asked, "So, you enjoyed it, didn't you, Ranieh?"

The girl flushed, but kept her face straight and nodded. "I did, the music you have shown us was different from anything I have heard, but not unpleasant in the slightest."

"Glad to hear it. However, I am afraid I can't do that. I only have got this one left," He replied. While he could technically build another one, he wanted to keep a low profile. The Xenos were given an opportunity to see some of the things from his world, but he wasn't going to simply give them the ability to build power armour, recharger rifles or anything of this sort. "I can share some of the things I have got with you, but not everything."

"Why not?" Gros asked.

"Simple really, you have got contact with the guild and if they were to see the jukebox, the weapons I have used, my armour and such. It would only make them more suspicious and I would rather keep a low profile," He explained.

"That's reasonable," Lyd said. "We promised to keep other's existence a secret, so it's fine, no?"

"I believe so, Lyd," Ray said before she turned towards the Courier. "But, can you let us dance to those songs once again in the future?"

"I was going to suggest just that. When I swing by, I would be more than happy to do so. Is that fine with you, everyone?" He asked and all the Xenos nodded. "Good to know, any questions?"

"...Swing by?" Wiene asked, gaining the attention of everyone involved.

"Yeah, swing by. I am going back to the surface today or tomorrow at best," He replied.

"Then, I am going with you," She said, while the Courier sweatdropped. _This is not going to be pleasant at all. _

"Wiene... You can't go back with me to the surface," He said, the girl looking him straight in the eyes.

"I... can't...? Why?" She asked, not able to believe her own ears.

"If you were to go back with me, adventurers would try to hurt you, kill you even. You have to stay here," He replied, while the girl shook her head furiously.

"I don't want to!" She refused, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.

"Wiene... You remember what happened when they saw you, don't you? If something were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. So, can you stay here, for me?" He asked as he gently rubbed the girl's head.

"Uuu...," She muttered, trying to come up with a solution. "But... you can protect me?"

"I can, but do you want me to kill innocent people because you wanted to go with me? Do you want to see others die because of that?" He countered, the girl shaking her head. "Then, you need to stay here."

"Stay here... please," She pleaded, while the Courier shook his head.

"I can't do that, but... I will return here every now and then, I promise," He said, the girl looking him right in the eye.

"You promise...?" She asked, the man nodding.

"Pinkie promise," He replied and repeated the gestured he once read about. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

"What...?" Everyone asked as they listened to the odd way the promise was formed.

"...It's how one makes Pinkie promise, not sure where it came from," He replied with a shrug, before turning to Wiene. "So, is that good enough, Wiene?"

She bit her lip, before reluctantly nodding. "It's alright... but please stay a bit longer."

"Then I will leave tomorrow, that gives me a few more hours," He said, while the girl smiled at him. However, it seemed like she was slowly getting tired as she released a big yawn, rubbing her eyes to stay awake. He chuckled as he turned towards Ray. "Hey Ray, it seems like I need a spare bed or two."

"Sure, give me a moment, we have already set up a resting place for you just in case. We will add an additional bed for Wiene," She replied and ordered some of the Xenos around.

"I don't want to...," She whined despite blinking owlishly. The chase, the dances and everything else must have worn her out.

"Right, right, let's get you to sleep, shall we?" He said and picked her up bridal style. She yelped a bit, before she once again cuddled up to him, Fear and Ray staring at him. "So, about that bed, Ray?"

"Right, follow me," She said and walked deeper inside the cavern.

The interior of the cave resembled a village carved out from the stone. Most of the architecture reminded him of simple adobe buildings, like the ones first used in Shady Sands. They had simple doors made of wood, some windows here and there, which paled in comparison to Orario or his world. Still, it seemed to work well enough for them.

"This is it, how do you like it?" She asked as she let both of them inside one of the buildings.

The interior was fairly average. Brown walls made of wood, a few windows with curtains in them, a carpet underneath his feet, the floor made out of wood. There were a couple of facilities like a mirror, table, four chairs, two beds similar to that in the Hostess of Fertility, a stove, etc. Still, it looked comfortable enough and definitely beat sleeping in a desert on a thin sheet of cardboard.

"Looks great, thank you kindly, Ray. Now, then, let's get you to bed, Wiene," He said as he gently lowered the girl on one of the beds and tuckered her in.

"Stay here...," She muttered barely staying awake, her both hands grasping Courier's right.

"I will be outside if you need me," Ray said, reading the mood.

However, deep inside seeing the care the Courier gave to Wiene, the way he carried her in his hands. It stirred some dark emotions in her heart before she frowned and forced them down. _Why am I getting__ anxious__? He has been acting like this towards Fear and Arles too_. Shaking her head, she left the building and began waiting.

The Courier waited until, he could hear breathing calm down, the grip on his hands as tight as it was. Prying it open turned to be a bit harder than he expected, but thanks to his high agility, he managed to wiggle his way out. Then he gently rubbed her on the head and whispered, "Sleep tight, Wiene."

After that, he went outside and walked up to Ray. "So, how did it go?"

"Fairly well, she was tired, but I swear it was like trying to pry open a door with a crowbar," He replied.

"Glad to hear it, then we should get back to others," She said, but before she could move, the Courier stepped in front of her, stopping her in tracks.

"Ray, are you alright? When I carried Wiene you seemed different," He asked as he gave the siren a quick look over. He had a pretty good idea of why she acted like this, but he wanted to be sure.

"It's nothing really," She tried to deflect the question and move to his, the Courier stopping her once more.

"Would you like me to carry you like Wiene?" He asked, the siren turning red in an instant.

"W-what are you talking about?" She stuttered, her heart beating faster than a moment ago.

"Am I wrong then?" He asked as he waited for the response.

"...No, but is it alright?" She asked, the Courier nodding his head.

"I don't see why not. All you have to do is ask," He replied.

"I see... in that case, if you would be so kind," She muttered, averting her gaze in an instant. The Courier nodded and picked her up bridal style, making her blush even further, her gaze turning away from him.

"Shall we go?" He asked and the siren nodded.

She felt all nice and cosy on the inside as she cuddled closer to the Courier, breathing in a faint scent, one that reminded her of hot dust. Even with the armour between the two of them, being this close to the man, made her feel warm on the inside. She glanced towards his helmet, the red visor directed towards the cave, his warm hands gently grasping her body. She smiled as she rested her head on his bicep, content with her current situation.

However, when she saw other Xenos, she felt a bit of dread coming up, as everyone in the cavern was watching them come. Fear, Arles and other female Xenos were staring at them as the two walked up to them before the Courier gently lowered her to the ground. The jealousy in their eyes obvious to everybody involved.

"There you go, Ray," He said as he looked over the other Xenos.

"Thank you," She muttered and stood on her own, trying her best to keep her blushing under control.

"Damn it all, Six, first Wiene, now Ray, you are fast," Lyd stated as he grinned at the duo, making the Siren blush slightly.

"What can I say, I am just full of surprises," He replied with a grin of his own. "Jealous much, Lyd?"

The Lizard Man let out a full-blown out laughter, "Honestly? A bit, yeah. But, if you hurt Ray, I won't hesitate to stab you in the gut," He replied, making the Courier laugh.

"Don't worry, I will hand you over a sword myself," He replied.

"Enough you two, we came here to party, not squabble," Ray interjected.

"Ray, not fair. You are keeping Six to yourself!" Fear said with her arms crossed and a pout visible.

"I didn't do anything!" She denied with a blush.

"Calm down, everyone. I asked Ray, if she wanted to be carried like this in the first place," Courier said, gaining the attention of everybody involved.

"You... did? Not Ray?" Fear asked, blinking her eyes.

"Yep, it's not that big of a deal. If you want, I can carry you as well," He replied with a shrug.

"Really?" Fear asked, the Courier nodding before she smiled and walked up to him. "Then, carry me!"

"Sure," He replied and picked the girl the same way he did both Ray and Wiene. The girl in his arms smiled, as she got closer just like Ray did. "Happy now?" The harpy nodded.

Ray giggled, glad the attention was off her, "It seems like you need to carry a lot more than one Xeno in your arms."

"Not surprised by that. Let's make it two minutes for anyone who wants it and it should be fine," He said.

"Five minutes!" Fear argued, the Courier shaking his head in response.

"No, two minutes take it or leave it," The girl pouted, but reluctantly nodded.

What followed was a good twenty minutes of his life being wasted as around ten female Xenos kept him busy, while males were looking at him with murder in their eyes. He honestly didn't expect for this to get out of control so much, but at this point, he didn't have much of a choice. The Xenos were weird, back in his world something like this wouldn't occur in the first place. If there was any consolation was the fact that not all the female Xenos in the group were keen on being carried by him, some actually were being carried by other male Xenos making it much more bearable.

Among the Xenos he was forced to carry were Arles, Fear, some harpies and a few others. It wasn't nearly as bad as he expected, but due to the odd shape and size of some of them, he had to carry them differently. Still, the activity ended soon enough and with that, the male Xenos were looking much less hostile than moments ago.

"Okay, now that we are done with this whole mess, can we get back to the party?" He asked the Xenos nodding. Once that happened, the Xenos returned to the tables and sat down. Ray sat on his left, Lyd next to her, Gros next to him with Ranieh on his right.

"So, Six, why don't you tell us a bit about the world outside?" Ray suggested.

"That's not a bad idea. Okay, everyone, go right ahead and ask me any questions, you might have," He replied, while Fear raised her wing.

"How big is the world outside?" She asked.

"Imagine a space that is at least a million times bigger than the Dungeon itself. Yeah, that's how big we are talking about. The world is huge, filled with forests, mountains, deserts, plenty of things you can't find in the Dungeon," He replied.

"How many people are there in the world?" Another Xeno asked.

"Millions of individuals, like Elves, humans, werewolves, dwarves, etc," He replied.

"What people do outside of adventuring?" Another Xeno asked.

"There are carpenters, painters, engineers, scientists, etc. Plenty of things to choose from," He replied. "Anything else?"

"Say, Six, is there anyone you like?" Fear asked, the Xenos looking right at the Courier.

The Courier leaned back in his chair, cupping his chin in the process. "Nowadays? Not so much. There were a few girls back then, who were interested in a relationship, but I turned them all down."

"You turned them all down...? Why?" Ray asked, not expecting this kind of response. A part of her was glad that there wasn't anyone he was currently seeing, but a bigger part of her was curious and for some reason, she dreaded the answer.

"It's... complicated," He settled on as he tried to think of a way to explain without revealing too much about himself. "What you need to know is that if I were to fall in love or have somebody I care about, my enemies would not stop until they killed them just to get to me."

He could hear gasps coming from all around him as the Xenos looked between each other. "What do you mean by that, Six?" Lyd asked his attention focused on the man in front of him.

"I have made a lot of enemies over the years when I fought for what I believed was right. For example, that one time, I stopped a major district from being bombed, which resulted in a hit squad sent after me," He replied, the murmurs spreading out around the Dungeon.

"You saved others... and were hunted because of that?" Fear asked, not able to believe her own ears.

"No good deed goes unpunished, Fear. I broke down a major plan of powerful individuals, who didn't like me meddling in their stuff, more than once," He explained. "Long story short, I don't want anyone subjected to a life filled with individuals trying to kill them because they know me. After all, love is transitory, that or it's ended in a fight."

The silence that followed was unpleasant, as the Xenos looked at the man in front of them. Ray felt like somebody just struck her through the heart, the pain far worse than she expected. The Courier sighed, before, he stood up from the table and turned towards the Xenos. "I apologize, I have done it again," He said, turned around, before walking away towards the house the Xenos provided.

"Six, wait!" Ray shouted before the Courier stopped.

"Sorry, Ray, but I need some time alone," He replied, nodded towards them and left the party.

"What happened to him...?" Fear asked as she too felt hurt by the words the man spoke.

Lyd narrowed his eyes as he watched, the man's silhouette slowly become smaller. "Whatever it was, we should give him time."

"Agreed, it's for the best," Gros said as he glanced towards Ranieh. "Something wrong?"

"... He went through something similar as we, didn't he?" She asked, the gargoyle frowning.

"Probably, something like this leaves wounds that do not heal easily," He replied and sighed. "The party is over, everyone, let's clear it up."

The Xenos followed his others and slowly began cleaning the cafe, leaving the good food for later and gathering everything else. He glanced towards Ray, Fear and others who were looking towards the Courier. He sighed, knowing that there was nothing he could do at this point.

The Courier left the Xenos behind and silently entered the house, before jumping inside the bed, staring at the ceiling as he thought about what he said. The first time he was asked about love was by Christine, back at the Sierra Madre. She had asked him what were his feelings about love and even back then, when he still was relatively young and inexperienced, he said the exact same thing.

At first, he didn't know why he said it before he remembered meeting Boone and finding out what happened to his wife, Carla. He saw first hand what happened to those who fell in love, who opened their hearts to others. Pain, misery, just to name a few. There were of course happily married couples, plenty of them as well, but he could never picture himself settling down in one place, raising his children and coming back home daily from work.

At times, he craved for it, he wanted to be able to hold someone he held dear in his arms, somebody who would be there, despite all the things he did. However, a relationship based on lies and deception was not bound, not last, sooner or later his past would catch up to him. And the number of people who would be okay with the things he did, the people he killed was rather low all things considered. Shaking his head, he made himself comfortable, giving one last glance towards Wiene, before closing his eyes and falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

The Courier woke up with a jolt, as he grabbed his head, just recently having experienced a messed up dream involving a certain goddess of love. He shook his head, hoping the goddess couldn't invade his dreams, otherwise, his life would become even more difficult. He glanced to his right and noticed Wiene sleeping soundly, her eyes closed, an innocent look on her face and a teddy bear in her arms. The Courier smiled as he slowly made his way out of bed, before he silently opened the door, closed it behind and began walking towards the entrance of the village.

On his way there, he came across two Xenos he was familiar with. "Good Morning, Ray, Lyd."

"Good morning," Ray said with a smile.

"Morning," Lyd added with a nod.

"I am heading back to the surface. I hope that's not a problem," He said, while the twp glanced between each other.

"So soon?" Ray asked while the Courier nodded.

"I am afraid so. I need to get back to the surface, lest I end up worrying some of my friends," He replied.

"Then, why don't you stay with us until breakfast? And it would also allow others to say their goodbyes," Lyd added, while the Courier cupped his chin.

"I suppose, but then I will have to deal with Wiene and you know how she reacted last time," He pointed out, while the two smiled wryly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I will handle the rest, take care, Six," Lyd said and extended his hand.

The two shook them before the Courier turned towards the siren and repeated the gesture. "You too. Ray, Lyd, take care."

"You too," Ray said before Courier nodded and left the village behind.

"... Didn't you want to ask him why does he feel this way towards relationships in general?" Lyd asked as he watched the man's back shrinking in the distance.

"... I did, but... for now, I will leave it alone," She replied, biting her lip in the process.

She wanted to know, to figure out why was Six was the way he was. However, she also understood that memories like this tended to be painful and considering what he had done for them thus far, she decided to respect the man's privacy, at least for the time. One day though, she would know, sooner rather than later.

As the Courier found himself walking through the familiar floors of the Dungeon, he wondered what to do next. He had to get back to the surface and deal with that workshop, then there was Ryu and maybe Bell if he had time for that. Shaking his head, he changed back into the armour of the 87th tribe, attached the oversized sword to his back, before slowly making his way towards the surface.

It only took a few hours of a slow pace, before he found himself back at the entrance of the Dungeon, the sun high in the sky. The Courier breathed in then out, as the fresh air entered his nostrils before heading out towards Hostess of Fertility. Just, as usual, the pub was busy with people eating, talking and having fun, but much less than in the morning.

The waitresses glanced towards him, giving him friendly smiles, Ryuu included before nodding and going back to their work, which he returned. Just as he was about to go, he noticed Mama Mia waving towards him, gesturing him to come closer. He raised his eyebrow as he walked up to the woman, his attention fully on her.

"Is there something wrong, miss Grand?" He asked.

"Nothing of this sort, Loki left you a message," She replied, before handing him a note with a simple message written on it.

The Courier read through its contents and raised his eyebrow. The goddess was quick, she had already secured the workshop and wanted to meet his ASAP, which meant he had to go out and deal with it, preferably sooner rather than later.

He turned towards the woman and nodded. "Thank you, miss Grand. However, it seems I need to head out, again."

"So soon? At least stay for dinner," She suggested, while the man chuckled.

"Maybe later, I am not that hungry," He replied, before heading out once more.

It only took a moment before he found himself standing in front of the Twilight Manor, two different guards standing in front of the entrance. The two glanced between each other before one of them walked up to him.

"Excuse me, sir, but are you the one called Courier Six?" He asked.

"That's correct, Loki asked me to come round when available," He replied.

Hearing this the other guard went inside the manor to fetch the goddess. "Please wait a moment, it shouldn't take long."

The two didn't have to wait long, before Loki arrived with some of the strongest members of her Familia, like Finn, Ais, Riviera, Bete, Tiona, Tione, Lefiya, just to name a few.

"Hello everyone," He greeted with a nod.

"Hi, Six!" Tiona said with a smile.

"Good Morning, Mister Six," Riveria greeted.

"...Morning," Ais said, while Bete just scowled.

"Good morning, Six," Finn greeted and returned the nod.

"Yo, Six, took your sweet ass time, didn't you?" Loki asked with a grin.

"I was busy," He replied with a shrug. "Now then, let's get down to business. Where is the workshop, Loki?"

"Close by, I made sure of that," She replied before she turned on her heel and began walking in opposite direction to the manor.

Seeing this as his cue to act, the Courier followed behind the goddess, other members of the Familia keeping a close eye on him as they followed the two of them. It didn't take long, until they found themselves standing in front of a small stone building, with a single wooden door leading inside. Loki snipped out a key, before opening the door and leading them inside.

The Courier whistled in approval as he took in the interior. While the workshop had windows and chimney for the furnace, they were all shut in to prevent anyone from peeking inside. There on the walls hung many high-quality tools, the furnace was shining from polish, while the scent of iron and charcoal filled the air. All in all, Loki outdid herself in Courier's humble opinion.

"So, Six, what do you think?" She asked with a small grin plastered on her face.

"Loki, you're a bloody genius, let me tell you that," Six replied, while the goddess chuckled in response.

"Aw, you're too nice. Don't I deserve a kiss for all the effort?" She teased, while the man let out a chuckle of his own.

"Ask Bete or somebody else for that," He replied.

"Hey!" Bete scowled, while Loki gave him a grin of her own. "I am going to punch you if you try!"

"Aw, you're so shy, Bete," Loki teased, before turning towards the Courier. "Now then, I believe it's your part of the deal."

Then she gestured to a pile of weapons, armour and such lying on the floor in the corner. It was big, with at least fifty different pieces inside of it. The Courier then walked up to the pile and began picking through them, rubbing his eyes as he looked as what looked like a handle of a sword, or what's left of it. He also noticed some sets of armour in varying states of disrepair.

"I can fix the weapons, no problem, but why did you bring armour here anyway?" He asked.

"Well, you told us that you can fix things, assuming they are similar. So going by that logic, you can fix heavy armour with another heavy armour, am I correct?" Loki replied while the Courier sighed.

"... Yes, you are correct. Bloody hell, I hate not being able to lie to gods, it takes out a lot of fun you know?" He said, before turning towards her.

"I knew it, so how about fixing those for us as well?" She asked while the man put the handle on the nearby cabinet.

"I can fix armour as well, yes, but last I checked, that wasn't part of an agreement," He replied. "Still, I can see why you prepared such an extensive workshop in the first place, it's a way of swaying me, isn't it?"

"I am that obvious, aren't I?" She asked while the man nodded. "Oh well, so, what do you think?"

"Hmm... you're one devious goddess, aren't you?" He asked while Loki grinned. "Okay, here is the thing. The guild is not really on my side, so to speak. They aren't hostile, but keeping a close eye on me."

"Why is that?" Finn asked, his curiosity piqued.

"There are a couple of reasons, all you need to know is the fact that I could use somebody influential vowing for me, you catch my drift?" He asked while Loki's eyes opened slightly.

"Oh, I see. Although, that's pretty big favour you are asking for, don't you think, Six?" Loki asked, before nodding to herself. "Tell you what, give us a twenty per cent discount on the armour and you got yourself a deal."

"Yeah no, I think I will pass. You can take your armours to Hephaestus in that case," He replied and crossed his arms.

"Aww, don't be like that!" Loki said, giving him a pleading look.

"Nope, not agreeing to it. I can give you the same discount as the weapons, but only if you agree to help me," He said.

"Mister Six, may I ask what is the reason the guild is keeping an eye on you?" Riviera asked as she considered what the agreement would entail.

"I do have some unique skills as you already know, some of which I keep secret. Long story short, the guild wanted me to be their lapdog, I refused, so I am looking for allies and friends if they decide to take me out of the picture, so to speak," He replied.

"That's... pretty grim, all things considered. Do you expect the guild to send assassins after you?" Finn asked while the man shrugged.

"Who knows? I am just being cautious, plenty of people have tried to kill me so far, so...," He said, while the others looked between each other.

"And why were people trying to kill you?" Riviera asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Plenty of reasons to hurt another. The bandits wanted to either kill me, eat me or rape me, maybe in a different order. Add on top of that, me doing the right thing, saving innocents and messing up plans of powerful individuals," He replied with another shrug.

Tiona and Tione eyes' spread wide open, while Ais and Lefiya gawked as they tried to imagine a sapient being doing something as horrible to another sapient being. Even Riviera looked shocked, her mouth slightly agape, same with other more experienced members of the group. It sounded downright morbid, cruel and more like something monsters or wild animals would do. Still, the fact that the man in front of them was still alive, despite attacked by bandits multiple times, could only mean one thing.

"Oh, really? Mind telling us more details?" Loki asked, very curious about some of his past.

"I am afraid, I have to say no to that. The less you know, the better," He replied.

"Oh, really? What are you a chicken?" Bete snorted, while the Courier gave him a deadpan.

"How about you all tell me your past first? Would you like to do so? I mean, it's not like you have got dark and troubled past you would rather not tell others about, right?" He asked, his arms crossed, while the werewolf glared at him.

"Mister Six," Rivieria said, gaining the attention of the group. "I would to like to apologize for my question, I didn't mean to cause any discomfort" Riviera added, while the man sighed.

"Apology accepted. As long as you don't try to force answers out of me, I am fine with that. After all, it's natural to be curious, especially about those surrounding you," He replied. "So, Loki, do we have a deal then?"

"Well, I was hoping for more, but ten per cent discount is good enough for me. You have got yourself a deal," She replied and the two shook their hands.

"Glad to hear it. Now then, is there anything else, you need from me?" He asked.

"... Have you ever killed anyone?" Ais asked she had to know, even though she already had a pretty good suspicion of the answer.

"... Too many times, Ais, too many times...," He replied with a sigh. "Tell me, how many of you have taken lives of actual sapient beings, not monsters?" He asked as he lifted his right hand. To his surprise, Tiona, Tione, Finn, Gareth and even Riviera raised their hands.

"...," Tiona didn't say anything as she raised her hand. She knew quite well, how it felt to take lives of others, what she and Tione went through. She understood that going through something like this changed one forever. _H__e __went through similar things as__ me and Tione__, didn't he__...__?_

"Sometimes, you have to fight, to protect the things, the people you believe in or because you don't have a choice," Finn said. "Am I wrong?"

The Courier smiled wryly. "You're not wrong, Finn."

"Glad to hear it. Forgive our curiosity, but you are quite an enigma, Six," He said, while the man chuckled.

"I can imagine that. So, are we clear?" He asked.

"I believe so," Riveria said before she looked towards Ais, who seemed like she wanted to say something. "Ais, is there something you would like to ask?"

"... Are you an evil person?" She asked, her attention focused purely on the Courier.

The man let out a chuckle as he turned towards the woman. "Evil? Perhaps to some, but... Also good to others. It depends on who you ask. However, if I had to decide myself... I guess I am neutral." He glanced at the woman, who was still staring at him, prompting him to continue. "I am not a kind person, Ais Wallenstein. But... I am not truly evil either. I have tried to help people more often than not."

"Such as?" Loki asked, listening intently.

"One time, I tried to help out a guy, who told me his girlfriend got trapped on the ridge. However, it turned out to be a hoax and he tried to murder me after I cleared the path," He said, while Ais' eyes spread wide open, her mouth open. "Other time, I have managed to save three people from slavery or death."

"I see...," She muttered as she digested the information. "I am sorry..."

"Don't be, it's not your fault it happened. Still, I hope that's enough to keep your curiosity satisfied?" He asked while the rest of the group nodded.

"Indeed, thank you for sharing this with us," Riviera said, as she glanced towards Loki.

"Yeah, it's nice to know you're not half bad after all," She said, while the man just rolled his eyes.

"Now then, I think I am going to get down to fixing the equipment you brought and you know what that means?" He asked.

Loki chuckled as she tossed him a key to the workshop. "Right, right, secrets and such. Fine, we will head back, tell us when you are done with all the weapons and armours, we will be needing them in a few days."

"Can do," He replied, while Loki motioned to her Familia to follow her, as they all left the workshop one by one. The last to leave were Tiona, Ais and Riviera, who glanced back one last time, nodded and left, leaving Six alone with his thoughts.

The Courier watched as the door closed before he let out a sigh and began massaging his temple. He expected this to go way differently, without any of his past being mentioned. Still, at least he kept most of it to himself. Now, all he needed to do was take care of the weapons and armour. With his mind made up, he walked up to the pile and began browsing through the items, taking note of how many pieces of equipment were there and writing it down.

While he had quite a bit of spare items he bought, the number of weapons and armours in need of repair, far exceeded it. So, his next goal was to go to Babel tower, get all the armours and weapons he needed, get back, fix them and then tell Loki to go pick them up. He sure as hell was not going to show them his pipboy capabilities, especially storing his entire equipment.

So, with that out of the way, he threw the handle back to the pile, closed the door and left the workshop behind. It only took a moment, before he arrived at the base of the tower and just like the last time, made his way to the eighth floor. To nobody's surprise, everything seemed relatively the same, with the exception of equipment.

And just like the last time, the Courier went on a shopping spree, getting as much equipment as he could get, putting it all in all free duffel bags he possessed of himself. The amount of armour and weapons easily took most of the counter, where a man with red hair was arguing with a clerk for some reason. The two stopped talking immediately, as they noticed the number of items laying on the counter.

Then, the man turned towards a white set of armour, a grin appearing on his face, as he pointed to the armour. "See? I told you people would buy my armour."

"I...," The clerk started as he considered his options. In the meantime, the man turned towards the Courier, a friendly smile on his face.

"That's good armour, you know?" He asked while the Courier shrugged.

"Don't really care about it, I am only buying it for spare parts anyway," He replied, while the man looked like somebody just slapped him, the clerk snorting in response.

"W-what? Spare parts? Seriously?" He asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yep, just like the rest of the gear on the counter," He replied, while the two glanced between each other. "So, who are you anyway?"

"Oh, right, sorry about that. I am Welf, a blacksmith," He introduced himself, his hand extended.

"Courier Six," He replied and returned the handshake.

"Say, Six, you look like someone that could use a skilled blacksmith or two," Welf started, while the Courier shook his head.

"Not really no," He replied, while the man pointed towards the armour.

"What about the armour? It looks like it took some beating recently," He replied.

"Meh, I can fix it later," He replied, while the man sweatdropped.

"Oh boy, you are a hard customer," Welf said as he considered his option. "Tell you what, I might have a proposal that will work for both of us, would you mind listening to it?"

"Sure, just let me pay for the gear," He replied and turned towards the clerk.

The total amount of Valis ended up at roughly one million, meaning he still would make a profit. However, he had to carry the items back, without putting them back in pipboy, which delayed him. Still, Welf led him to a corner of the shop and put his hand over his shoulder, the Courier tensing instantly.

"Look, Six, I need help," He started, the Courier looking him straight in the eye. "As you can already tell, I am not the most respected blacksmith. Despite all the effort I put, I am still level one and I haven't acquired 'blacksmith' development ability."

"And what should I do about that?" He asked.

"If you help me get to level two, I will sign a blacksmith agreement with you," He said, while the Courier narrowed his eyes.

"And what kind of agreement are we talking about that?" He asked while Welf chuckled.

"It's really simple. You will only buy items from me, but in exchange you will get a huge discount and a personal blacksmith that will gladly work on your items and create new ones on demand, assuming I have got all the necessary materials," He said.

The Courier blinked, before he let out a chuckle, doing his best to hold back his laughter. "That's... one of the worst deals I have ever heard about."

Welf blinked, while his jaw dropped to the ground. "What do you mean by that?"

"Simple, from an economic point of view, your deal is pretty lacklustre. I would only limit myself to a single shop, which would prevent me from acquiring spare parts and such. On top of that, my current gear is superior to whatever you can make with weak materials and I can do simple repairs myself. Truth to be told, there is no reason to sign an agreement either with you or anyone else," He explained, Welf's mouth opening and closing.

The Courier was about to leave when suddenly Welf grabbed him by his shoulder. "Wait..."

"...?" The Courier turned towards him as he waited for the man to continue.

"... If you help me get to level two, I will give you a permanent discount," He offered.

"... Twenty per cent?" He asked while the man nodded. "Fine, meet me in two hours in front of the Babel."

"Right then, thanks, Six," Welf said, while the man nodded.

"You're welcome," He replied and left the man behind, his destination, the workshop.


	14. Chapter 14

Courier wasted no time, heading directly towards the workshop and dropping all the duffel bags on the floor, before locking the door behind him. Once he was sure, nobody was watching him, he began fixing the weapons and armour Loki asked of him. It didn't take long and the combined value of the items would definitely help in the future.

Still, now that he had a bit of time left, he decided to take as much as he could of the equipment back to the Familia. Putting as much as he could in the three duffel bags, leaving around half the stuff behind, he set out towards the Twilight Manor. As soon as the guards noticed him, they nodded towards him, before one of them turned around and headed inside. And just like the last time, the familiar faces of the Loki Familia appeared in front of him.

"Hi there, Six," Loki greeted.

"Hello, Loki, everyone," He greeted, while the rest of the groups said their phrases before turning towards the Goddess. "Loki, I have roughly half of the equipment you ordered me to repair," He said, motioning to the bags.

"Oh, nice!" Loki replied with a grin. "Finn, Gareth, Bete, help Six out, would you?"

Bete scowled, but did as told, while the two guys simply nodded and took one bag each. "What about the rest, dipshit?" Werewolf asked.

"Probably stuck somewhere far up your ass," Six replied, the werewolf growled, while others smiled wryly or straight out chuckled as Tiona did. "And to be more serious, I could only put so much inside those bags anyway, plus I want them back."

"So, I guess the rest of the equipment is already fixed, isn't it?" Loki asked while Six nodded.

"Indeed it is, you can come and pick it up if you want or I can come back later with the rest, it's up to you really…" He replied.

"Glad to hear, now everyone, what do you think?" Loki asked her Familia members.

"I believe it would be best if some of us were to go and retrieve the equipment, that reminds me, how much do we owe you for all the repairs, Mister Six?" Riveria asked while the man cupped his chin.

"Quite a lot, we are talking about millions of Valis. Let me add the numbers up," He said as he began calculating all the money they owed and writing them down on a clipboard. "Oh boy, I know that's spread out between multiple Familia members, but in total? Half a billion Valis," He said and handed over all the items, their descriptions and the money owed.

Loki whistled, Ais froze, Tiona and Tione gaped, Riveria eye's spread wide open as well as Finn and Gareth's, while Bete gawked. "Half...a billion Valis?" Tiona asked.

"Yep, quite expensive. The best part is, you have already saved around fifty million Valis," He replied, while the members looked between each other.

"You accept payment in rates, don't you?" Finn asked with a sweat drop, while the man nodded, much to his, and other Familia members, relief.

"Of course, I can understand that this amount of money is not something you can easily get your hands on. Plus, we have already signed an agreement, didn't we?" He asked while the Pallum nodded.

"That we did," Finn replied as he let out a sigh of relief. "Still, just of curiosity, what do you exactly expect from us, when it comes to the guild?"

"Nothing much. I am not expecting you to go to war with the Guild or the rest of the city. All I ask for is that you tell the Guild you are working with me, so they think twice about coming after me," He explained.

"That's reasonable," Riveria said, gaining the attention of everybody involved. "Though, I hope you realize we will not sacrifice members of our Familia to protect you?"

"Never thought otherwise. After all, I _am_just an outsider who helps you out," He replied with a shrug.

"If you were to join us..." Loki started.

"Yeah, no thanks, I'll pass," He replied, while Loki sighed. "Plus, I remember asking you to not ask me to join you, didn't I?"

"And I adhered to the rule. I merely suggested that if you were to join my Familia, I might be able to help out more…" She pointed, while the man chuckled.

"Right, of course, well then, what now?" He asked.

"I think it's best we get our equipment retrieved, the sooner, the better," Finn replied.

"I agree – everyone, let's go." Loki ordered, the group following the man towards the workshop.

Once they arrived there, the members of the Familia gathered all the equipment they brought in the first place and began putting them into bags of their own.

"Is that everything?" Riveria asked as she looked all over the workshop.

"I believe so," Finn replied, before turning towards the man. "What do you think, Six?"

"Seems fine to me. So, I hope you don't mind, but I have an appointment and I need to get going," He replied, while the group looked between each other.

"Oh, meeting somebody?" Loki inquired.

"Nothing that involves you, Loki," He replied, while the goddess chuckled in response.

"Of course, you and your secrets. Anyway, a pleasure doing business with you Six." She said and extended her hand.

He returned the handshake and replied, "Likewise, don't keep me hanging for too long, though."

"So a year then?" She asked.

"Half at best," He argued. "You are a high level of Familia, it should be more than enough. If not, we will figure something out."

"Okay, sounds good to me. Everyone, let's go!" She said and the members of the group said their goodbyes, before leaving the Courier alone in the workshop. Shortly after, he put on the duffel bag, locked the building and went towards the Dungeon.

* * *

"You're early" Courier pointed as he walked up to the blacksmith.

"Didn't want to keep you waiting." He replied with a smile.

"Works for me. The sooner we start, the better. Now, which floor can you go to?" He asked as the two began walking towards the entrance.

"Tenth floor, at that point, it becomes difficult without a supporter or another member," He replied.

"Agreed, the orcs and imps are not to be underestimated," He nodded.

"So, what's the plan?" Welf asked.

"The plan? The plan is really simple. I go in, taunt the monsters, let them attack me, while you kill them." He said, the man giving him a deadpan.

"Hahaha, very funny, any real plans outside of that?" He asked.

The Courier cocked his head to the side. "That's what I did before and it worked well enough back then, although my previous allies used ranged attacks for the most part."

"...You're serious, aren't you?" Welf sweatdropped, not expecting this kind of response. "Oh boy, how did you survive the Dungeon by yourself? That reminds me, what level are you anyway?"

"You'd be surprised. Regarding the second question, I am above level two, if that's what you are asking for," He settled on.

"Above level two? Three? Four?" Welf asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Won't tell," Courier replied, while the blacksmith smiled wryly.

"Right, shouldn't have asked. Anyway, I don't have a ranged weapon, will that be a problem?" He asked.

"Not in the slightest, just stay behind me and do your best. If it becomes too difficult, I will step in and keep you safe," He replied.

"Oh boy, we are going balls deep, aren't we?" Welf asked.

The Courier chuckled as he shook his head. "Not in the slightest. I have been outnumbered on multiple occasions and always came out on top."

"Really? Mind sharing some of those stories with me?" He asked.

"Maybe later, but you can trust me to keep you safe. I have reached Rivira by myself after all." Courier replied.

"I hope you are not lying, or we might both end up dead," Welf muttered.

"We might die horribly. Well, maybe not me…" Courier countered.

"That's inspiring," Welf said sarcastically, before sighing. "I'm already having second thoughts."

"Good, that means you are not a complete moron with a death wish," Courier said, while Welf gave a deadpan.

After that, the two went inside the Dungeon, a small group of monsters appearing in front of them. A few kobolds and goblins to be exact. The Courier nodded at the blacksmith, took a step forward and flipped off the monsters.

"Come here, you ugly bastards!" He taunted them, as he put his left hand behind him and used his right to gesture them to come closer.

It seemed to have worked as the monsters charged towards him, barely paying attention to his companion, swarming him from every side, as they began scratching, biting and doing everything in their power to deal any kind of damage. Welf in the meantime wasted no time, killing the first three monsters in a few blows, their attention turning towards him.

However, before they could attack him, the Courier grabbed the nearest monster, slammed him into the ground, before beating him with his bare fists until it exploded into a pile of gore, guts and blood. That seemed to have worked as the monsters shrieked with fright, before focusing their attention back on him. Not long after, the monsters were dead, their blood slowly dripping down the man's armour leaving it mostly clean.

"See?" Courier asked as he turned towards the blacksmith.

"I can see, alright. The question is, do you often act like this?" Welf asked as he began picking up the magic stones from the corpses of the monsters, Six making sure Welf wouldn't be able to pick up any of the blood sausages and such which he planned to use later on.

"Only periodically, riling others up makes them lose their focus and ability to fight well." He replied as Six also began harvesting the magic stones.

"Right...remind me not to get on your bad side…" Welf said while the man smiled weakly.

"No promises," He replied. After that, the duo continued their descent down the Dungeon, when suddenly they heard a loud feminine scream. "Trouble," Courier said, Welf nodded and the two began running, quickly finding the source of it.

The sight in front of them made them stop in his tracks. Five adventurers and a single corpse. Four of them were male and judging by their strength around level one. The only thing that stood out was an evil glint and fresh blood on one of the swords of the adventurers, a source – the corpse slumped against the wall.

He recognized the corpse in question, despite it only having its right arm left, the other nowhere lying not far off from it. A mop of pure white hair and red eyes devoid of life greeted him – Bell. Time stopped in its tracks as he entered VATS and took in the scene in front of him. There was a Pallum with an oversized backpack slumped against the wall. She had brown hair and eyes of the same colour, with her height around four feet tall at best.

She was most likely the supporter Eina told him about and perhaps one of the reasons things played out like this. He debated what to do, on one hand, he had a pretty good guess what happened here, on the other hand rushing in and killing them without knowing the full story could lead to some horrible mistakes.

"Holy shit…" Welf muttered as he drew his sword.

So, with that in mind, the Courier drew his sword and said, "You'd better have a damn good explanation or I will kill you all right here and now."

"Woah, chill out buddy, that girl over there is a thief. She stole my sword and many other things from us all," One of them said.

"So your solution was to rob her in the dungeon, kill an innocent person instead of going to the guild and reporting it?" He inquired.

"What does it matter to you anyway? She is not one of your friends, is she?" Another one asked as he drew his own sword and glanced between him and Welf.

"You're right, she isn't. However, that guy over there kind of was. So, here is how it's going to play out. You can either surrender and go with me to the Guild to explain this situation or you can die here as the bandits you are." He said.

The Four looked between each other, before laughing heartily. "Oh please, you're nothing special. You're not even a level two adventurer or we would have at least recognized you. As it is, it's a four against two and letting you live is not something we can afford to do anymore…" Another of the group said.

"...Fine then," He replied and charged forward without holding back.

The first of the adventurers didn't even have time to scream, before a giant sword obliterated his body, sending pieces of blood, guts and gore everywhere. The rest of them paled, two of them tried to attack him, but he simply dodged before killing both of them with a single blow.

"W-wait!" The last one begged, but the Courier had been out of mercy for a long time.

With the last blow, he finished the fight. The adventurers' nothing more than a red smear on the nearby wall. However, this wasn't over yet, he sheathed his sword before rushing to Bell's body and examining it. But...it was too late. The sword pierced the heart and not even a super stimpak would do the trick. If there was one thing he could not do, it was bringing people back from the dead, much to his regret. With a heavy sigh, he closed the eyelids of the boy, before turning towards the supporter.

"You – what's your name?" He asked.

"L-Lilly," She replied, terror evident in her eyes.

"Now, Lilly, I want you to tell me everything that happened and if you do not cooperate I will bring you to the Guild, so one of the gods can have a talk with you," He explained, while the girl nodded.

"Lilly will tell you everything. Just don't... hurt Lilly," She pleaded.

"I won't at least unless you give me a reason to do so. Now then, what happened?" He asked.

Lilly got herself together before she began to recount her tale, starting at the very beginning of her childhood.

She told them how poorly she was treated by her Familia, being forced to fend for herself since she was young, how the three of the adventurers ruined her one chance of living a normal life, how she began to hate adventurers and what she did to finally escape the grasp of her Familia before she finally reached the part with Bell.

* * *

"Are you sure, Lilly? I mean floor seven is quite dangerous, isn't it? There are killer ants there, often called Rookie Killers," Bell said as he walked down the Dungeon, Lilly keeping close behind.

"Lilly is sure, Master Bell is very strong," She assured as her eyes went to the sheath on Bell's left arm.

Inside it was her goal, a blade worth millions of Valis that she tried to steal the first time, but failed. Now though, she had a perfect plan, a monster bait and preparation to pull it off. However, that plan quickly shattered when the two were ambushed by the members of her Familia, who she hated with the entirety of her being.

She was knocked back, blood dripping from her mouth as she slid down the wall, leaving only Bell to protect her. "Why are you doing this?!" He demanded as he held the knife ready, standing in front of Lily to protect her.

"Give it up, kid. We don't want to kill you, the only one we are after is her. If you help us out we will let you keep some of her loot, assuming you can keep your mouth shut." One of them said.

"Why? What has she done to you?" He asked, gritting his teeth in the process.

"...You really don't know who she is? Well, Lilly, aren't you going to tell him?" One of the group asked, but Lilly stayed silent. "Fine, I will tell him myself. That girl over there is a known thief and a murderer. She led many adventurers inside the Dungeon, baited the monsters and left them to die as she stole the most valuable of their belongings like a weapon."

"Y-you're lying!" Bell yelled. He refused to believe it. Lilly was lonely, just like him, he refused to simply let her die because of what he said. "I believe in Lilly!"

She blinked not able to believe her own ears. However, that seemed to have been the last straw as the group attacked in unison. Bell did his best to defend himself, but they were too many and one of the adventurers managed to get a lucky hit in, cutting off his arm and making him scream in agony, as he fell on the wall, clutching the stump of his arm.

"I warned you kid…" One of them said as the rest of the group began looting their belongings. "You're not a hero – she is not a princess and this is not a story where good guys win."

"I...," Bell started.

"You know what you are? You're a fool. A stupid kid that thinks that life is a fantasy of some sorts. What else do you believe? That you can become a hero? Rescue a princess in the Dungeon? Get your own harem?" He taunted and burst out laughing. "You know... I feel sorry for you. You got caught in this mess, and now you're going to die because of her."

"W-wait!" Lilly yelled, but the man didn't listen and stabbed the boy right through the heart, killing him on the spot. She watched as Bell's life was extinguished in front of her very eyes, before letting out one desperate scream of despair inside the Dungeon.

* * *

"So…let me get this straight. You were used and abused by your Familia your entire life, correct?" He asked while Lilly nodded. "Your life was ruined because of these guys, but instead of going to the Guild and begging for some kind of support or even reporting it, you have resorted to stealing from other adventurers and because of your actions, it resulted in the death of some of them."

"Lilly hasn't killed anyone!" She denied.

"You're right, you haven't killed anyone with your own two hands, others did," He pointed out, silencing the supporter. "The monsters, these three? All of this is the result of your own stupidity and being blinded by your own past."

"..." She wasn't sure what to say, this was not how it was supposed to go.

"Welf, tie her up, I am going to loot the corpses of these four and then we are going back to the surface to turn her in," He said.

"Alright then," Welf replied since he agreed that this was probably the best solution.

"W-what? You promised Lilly! You promised you would not bring Lilly to the guild!" She pleaded.

"I lied." He replied, tears falling down her cheeks as Welf tied her up.

In the meantime, the Courier manually stripped all of their clothes, made sure nothing was left, before hanging the duffel bag over his shoulder. Once that was done, he walked up to Bell's corpse and heaved him over his shoulder, leaving his right hand free to defend himself with.

"Let's go," He ordered, while Welf nodded. Lilly was walking right behind the blacksmith, her backpack hung on his shoulders.

The walk was peaceful, the monsters not standing in their way, as the group made their way back to the surface. Some of the adventurers glanced at them as they left the Dungeon, watching as they walked past them. They knew first hand how dangerous the Dungeon could be, the death of adventurers was something one had to get used to.

A while later, the trio found themselves standing in front of the Dungeon, everyone staring at them as the Courier carried the body to the Guild. He had no idea where to bury it anyway, plus he didn't want to be treated as a grave robber. Back in Mojave, digging up corpses was frowned upon, but it helped him out greatly over the years.

As he went through the door, collective gasps were heard, one set of eyes in particular. Eina dropped whatever she was holding and run up to them.

"No, oh no, no, no, no," She muttered as she stared at the lifeless corpse of a boy, who she was in charge of.

Tears appeared in the corner of her eyes, as the Courier laid the body on the floor, the receptionist shushing other adventurers away.

"I am sorry for your loss, Miss Tule," Courier said, took a step back, as the girl looked straight at him.

"What happened...?" She asked, her eyes glancing between him and the supporter.

"Adventurers happened... I will gladly tell you the entire story with two of my acquaintances. However, I believe it would be for the best if the guild prepared proper burial for Bell," He replied.

"Right, please give me a moment," She said, trying desperately to keep her composure.

After that, the body of the boy was taken to the morgue, while the three of them were escorted to the depths of the Guild. The trio was sitting in a luxurious room with a few leather sofas and chairs. Joining them were Eina Tule, Rehmer, Eina's superior and a male chiantrophe, along with Ganesha and his escort. She was a beautiful azure haired woman and a level five adventurer, called Shakti Varma.

The woman in question glanced in his direction, before focusing on the supporter. The god's presence was requested to verify their stories and as much as he hated the gods, he had to admit, being able to always tell when somebody told a lie was incredibly powerful, if not too powerful. What followed was a rather detailed explanation of how he met Welf, what they did and how they came across Lilly.

However, when Lilly began telling her story, he could see Eina looking at her with murder in her eyes. The same could be said for the rest of the room, even Welf was glaring at her, despite already knowing most of it. When, Lilly finally finished the room fell silent, as everyone inside contemplated what to do.

"So... what is the Guild going to do about her and the Soma Familia?" Courier asked as he made himself comfortable.

"Hard to say. One thing is for certain, Soma Familia will be thoroughly investigated that's for certain," Rehmer replied. "As for her? Lifetime sentence in prison at the bare minimum."

Lilly shuddered as she looked at the Guild members. She looked like she wanted to say something, to plead perhaps. But, the looks they had sent her were enough to simply hang her head down in acceptance.

"Lilly... understands," She replied.

"... If possible, I would like to make a counter suggestion," The Courier said, everyone, turning towards him.

"What do you mean by that, Mister Six?" Eina asked, still glaring at Lilly with all her might.

"Banishment, strip her off her Falna, confiscate her belongings and never let her adventure again," He said, everyone blinking at the suggestion, Lilly staring at him not able to believe her own ears.

While what Lilly did was deplorable, but he could understand her point of view. After all, he wasn't a saint himself, painting the wasteland red with blood. The swat of corpses he left in his wake as he searched for Benny and the reason he had for killing him.

"What? Why would you let her get away with all the murder?" Welf asked, not able to comprehend why would he even consider giving her a chance.

"You're making a mistake here. I am not letting her get away with what she had done, I am merely suggesting that putting her in prison for the rest of her life won't help," He said, as he thought of a way to put it. "Besides, the reasons Lilly turned to the crime were simple, she is stupid and the Guild is useless."

That made everyone pause, as Rehmer frowned. "Useless?"

"Yes, the Guild is useless. If the Guild could do something, had some kind of force of their own, she could have requested help or something. However, because the Guild relies on other Familias' help to execute justice, it makes situations like this possible. In fact, how many wrongdoers are there in Orario? Slaver Scum? Illegal brothers? Con Artists? Familias that scheme for their own personal gain? Can you answer that question, Rehmer?"

"... That's," He started.

"You can't, can you?" Courier butted in and snorted.

Before the male could answer, there was a commotion as a tiny goddess busted through the door, flailing wildly. Courier blinked as he recognized her as Hestia, he talked to before. Tears were in the corner of her eyes, as she looked around the room, roared and jumped on top of Lilly, strangling her.

"You...!" Hestia cried as everyone in the room rushed in to separate them and prevent further bloodshed."You did! You killed my Bell!" She cried, doing her best to break free.

"Enough," Courier growled, his terrifying presence kicking in for a moment, silencing everyone in the room, both Welf and Shakti drawing their weapons in the process. "Goddess, Hestia. I need you to calm down and listen. Lilly didn't kill Bell."

Hestia'sattentionsnapped to him, not able to believe her own ears. "She... did not? Then who did?!" She demanded.

"Other adventurers from Soma Familia. They wanted to rob Lilly and killed Bell when he tried to defend her. Although make no mistake, Lilly intended to steal his weapon and leave him to die in the Dungeon, but she wasn't the one who killed him," Courier explained. "As it is, she will pay for her crime, according to the law. So, please behave yourself."

"I... understand," She responded weakly, as she glared back at Lilly, who seemed to had shrunk even further into the sofa. "... What about the knife, the one I gave to him?"

"Here it is," Courier said as he pulled the knife from his duffel bag and handed it over. The goddess cradled the weapon to her massive chest, like a mother, who was holding her dead child.

"Thank you...," She muttered as the room lapsed into silence.

"Miss Tule, please take goddess Hestia from here and escort her to adventurer's body. It's the least we can do," Rehmer said. Eina looked at him, before nodding and gently nudging the goddess out of the room, leaving the rest of the group behind.

"... What a fucking mess," Courier complained as he put his hand over his forehead. "So, now what?"

"Now, we will take Lilly to prison and gather the court to rule her sentence. Thank you for the help, mister Six, for what's it worth, the Guild is grateful," He said, while Shakti nodded and took Lilly with her, handcuffing her beforehand.

"Good, that means my job here is done. Now then, Welf, do you want to go to the Dungeon today or...?" Courier asked while Welf shook his head.

"After today? I think I will pass. I need a drink or two, maybe more. Give me a day or two," He replied.

"Understandable, I am staying at Hostess of Fertility, if you feel like going to the Dungeon," Courier replied.

"Right, I will keep in mind, take care, Six," Welf said and bid his farewell, before leaving the room.

"I suppose, it's time for me to go too, isn't it?" Courier asked, but Rehmer merely shook his head in response.

"Not yet, I am afraid. Before you leave, there is a question I need you to answer," He replied. "Say, was it really necessary to kill them? Couldn't you have knocked them unconscious instead?"

"What's the point of that?" He countered while the man frowned. "They were bandits, scum, plenty of that in the world. The likes of them don't deserve mercy, trial or anything like this."

"Perhaps... But, do you honestly believe that violence is the best option?" Rehmer asked.

"Depends on the circumstances, more often than not, it's the only option I am afraid. Tell me, Mister Rehmer. If a bandit attacked you, tried to kill you, would you let him?" Courier asked while man shook his head. "That's what I thought. I am not afraid to hurt, I am not afraid to kill, I have done it before and I will do it again if necessary. Now then, have a nice day, everyone," Courier said and left the room, leaving it silent.

"... What the hell is he?" Rehmer asked as slumped in the sofa, already regretting the question.

The man was an enigma, an adventurer without Falna, who killed a group of levels one. And yet, the way he carried himself, he acted. It reminded him of soldiers, season adventurers, mercenaries and such.

"Ganesha doesn't know!" The god suddenly said. "But Ganesha wants him in his Familia!" Rehmer could only groan as the god proclaimed his intentions, too tired to argue.


	15. Chapter 15

"I need a drink...," The Courier muttered to himself as he left the Guild behind.

He said that, but truth to be told, he hardly every got drunk anyway. It was more of a thing he said, rather than meant it. Unfortunately, his troubles were far from over, after all, Syr was going to be quite devastated once she heard of the boy's death. He was not looking forward to seeing her cry and whatever else might follow.

The Courier sighed as he slowly made his way back to the Hostess of Fertility, which only took a moment. As he entered the building, he could see that it was crowded as always, with the waitresses walking around the pub, taking orders and delivering them. When he found Syr among them, he braced himself for what was about to come.

He had done so before, but it wasn't something he enjoyed. Sometimes, they even blamed him for not being able to save when he already found such individuals dead. Still, the sooner she found the sooner she could move on. Unfortunately, he couldn't see Ryuu here to soften the blow. Still, with his mind up, he walked up to Syr.

"May I talk to you for a moment, miss Flova?" He asked.

"Right now? With all the customers?" She asked, gesturing to the crowd around, as she held an empty tray in her hands.

"Well... You know what? Fuck it. Bell Cranel is dead," He said.

"What?" She asked, not able to believe her own ears. "Um... Did I hear it right? Did you just say that Bell is dead...?"

"He was killed by a group of adventurers in the Dungeon. For what it's worth, they were killed shortly after," He finished and watched as the tray fell to the floor, her mouth opening and closing rapidly. "I am sorry for your loss, miss Flova," Courier said, before leaving the maid behind and heading to his room.

He heard as a bit of commotion coming from downstairs, but he ignored it, before dropping off his stuff and sitting on the bed. He sighed as he considered what could he have done. "Maybe... I should have kept a better eye on him?"

He felt sorry for Syr, but not that much. People died all the time, be in the Dungeon or Mojave, he couldn't help everyone not that he wanted. But... that brought a nasty thought to his mind. Why did he ignore Bell? He knew that boy was inexperienced and could die easily, so why didn't he at least check the supporter?

As he pondered that question, he realized something very important. Ever since he came to Orario, he did everything in his power to stay low profile, not looking for quests, opportunities and being satisfied simply going to Dungeon and exploring it bit by bit. He averted his gaze from other people, doing his best to not get attached to anything or anyone.

However... was that really who or maybe what he was? A loner who only cared for his own personal gain? No, that couldn't be right. He helped the Followers of the Apocalypse, tried to save people in Mojave, like Weathers. Even as time went on, he didn't ignore Joanna after the Sierra Madre, didn't let Van Graffs murder Cass. He helped out Lilly, Cass, Veronica, Boone, his companions... and yet here... He did his best to avoid dealing with others. Why?

... He knew the answer. It's because he was a goddamn coward. He was so afraid of gods finding out about him, his technology, afraid of getting attached. He did everything he could to stay low profile that he betrayed his own principles. Courier Six wasn't just a monster, wasn't just one-man army, he was also a member of Followers of Apocalypse, a man willing to risk his own life for what he believed was right.

That's what led him to this point. He waged war against NCR, House and Caesar's Legion because he believed in personal freedom because he wanted the Mojave to prosper. And yet... after coming to Orario, he refused to do anything that would compromise his identity, even after being hunted down by mercenaries and assassins.

He gritted his teeth, before punching himself in the leg, as he felt his emotions raise. He felt disgusted with himself for letting himself be controlled as something as pathetic as fear. _I am so stupid! Why?! Who else have I ignored that could have needed help?_ That's when he felt something was wrong.

There was something he forgot or rather someone, he could feel it linger in his mind, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember. Annoyed, he took his stuff and left the room. Perhaps a walk would help him sort out his thoughts. As he went downstairs he noticed Syr was gone, Chloe along with her.

Ignoring the looks that were sent his way, he went outside and began walking around Orario trying to get his thoughts sorted out. And not a while longer, he found himself walking through the pleasure district, which looked far different during the day, than it did during the night, not like he could forget the Amazoness chasing him...

He stopped as he realized there was one other person. A female with fox ears and tail with long blonde hair, whose eyes struck him. He smacked himself in the forehead and cursed his own stupidity. How could he have forgotten? Was the girl still alive, what if she was in a similar situation to Joanna? He had to know.

He wouldn't run anyway, not anymore. He was Courier Six, a force of nature, not Courier Six a bloody coward. With his mind made up, he made his way to the brothel, where he last saw her. It didn't take long to find him, but there was still some time left before it would all open.

Considering the fact that last time he had been here he was chased around by half-naked woman, he decided to make a map of the area with his pipboy and plan an escape route in case things went awry. He also decided to change his attire to something a bit more casual, like one of the pre-war suits, he had plenty of. They were useless for the most part, but in this case, they would make a decent disguise.

As the night came, the Courier made a beeline for the brothel, until he found the girl. She was still wearing that collar and had the same look of someone who accepted their fate. He wouldn't stand for that. So, he walked up to one of the two Amazoness, who acted as managers of the brothel.

"Good evening, I would like to request night with that young blonde female over there," He said.

"Wow, talk about formal. You just want to fuck, don't cha?" One of the Amazoness said. "Still, who are you? I can't simply let you in, without knowing whether or not you are an adventurer."

"Unfortunately enough, I am not an adventurer as I do not possess Falna," He replied. "As for my name, I am called Ulysses."

"Really, that's an odd name. You won't mind if we check?" The other one asked.

"I don't see a problem, assuming that's all you do," He said.

"Great, now follow me inside," She said, before leading him to a small room, which reminded him of a changing room. "Go on, take off your shirt."

The Courier obliged the request and heard a whistle as the girl licked her lips as she took in the sight of his body with all the scars and muscles to latch on to. "Now, that's hot. I wouldn't mind taking you for a ride myself."

"I have to decline, today I am in the mood for something less wild, if you catch my drift," He replied.

"Oh, I see. Then, if you still have energy, after all, give me a sign," She said with a wink, before letting him put on the shirt. "Now, the payment is not cheap. Twenty thousand Valis."

"Quite expensive, I hope the service is worth it," Courier replied.

"Ishtar Familia is well known for its high quality, we have many regulars," She replied, while the Courier snorted.

"I can see that. Here you go," He said, before producing the required amount from his pocket bag.

"Great, Haruhime, you are up," She said, before the fox girl, nodded and led the Courier to a single room where a lone mattress for two laid on the floor.

"Now allow me," She said and reached out with her hands only for the Courier to stop her, as he stepped back.

"Don't, please take a seat, I want to talk to you," He said, before making his way around the girl and sitting on his knees on the mattress.

"O-okay," She muttered, as she took a position in front of him. "Is there something wrong, master?"

"You are not a prostitute willingly, are you?" He went straight to the point.

"W-what do you mean?" She asked, not sure how to act in these circumstances.

"You don't act like one. The way you move, it all looks forced. And that collar on your neck...," He explained, while the girl stared at him. "I am sorry for that, I believe we started off the wrong off. I am Six, Courier Six and you are?"

"Haruhime, Sanjouno Haruhime," She introduced herself.

"Haruhime, that's a good name," He said, while the girl smiled weakly. "Now, Haruhime, can you tell why are you wearing this collar?"

"It's... a safety measure. I am not allowed to leave the district with it on, it hurts if I try and lets others find me," She said.

"So, basically you are a slave here, aren't you?" He said, while the girl opened her mouth, closed it, before nodding weakly.

"The guild doesn't know?" He asked while the girl nodded once more. The Courier could only sigh as he realized the guild was useless once more. Xenos, Lilly, then Bell, now Haruhime, all of them were victims of a barely working system, which favoured strong Familias. It looked like the Orario needed a change of the management, to say the least.

"... It's how it is," She said, already knowing that she would die soon enough.

"Why are you saying that?" He asked while the girl's eyes spread wide open.

"That's... I am not worth saving anymore, I am just... a prostitute," She replied weakly, while Courier could feel his temper rising.

"You are wrong," Courier said sternly.

"Eh?" She asked, not expecting this kind of response.

"It doesn't matter if you are a prostitute, a soldier, a merchant, your life is not less important than others," He said, while Haruhime stared at him, a bit of joy forming in her heart. "I would know since I have already saved prostitutes before."

"You... did? How?" She asked this got her attention, as she leaned a bit forward. Haruhime ever since she was a child enjoyed reading about heroes and having an opportunity to hear a new one resonated with her.

"You want to hear it?" He asked while the girl nodded. "Alright then. It all started with a girl named Joanna who was working for a casino and was suffering from overdosing on an addictive substance to keep going. She had a loved one, who ran away and she gave up the idea of ever being able to leave."

"Then... you met her?" She inquired, while Six nodded.

"I immediately recognized the symptoms and asked her about her past and what lead to this situation. She was raped against her will by Cachino and lost hope, but I convinced her to tell me the name of her lover, which I began to look for," He continued.

"... Did you find him?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yep, he was hiding not far off from the casino in one of the hotels. After finding him and bringing a message back and forth between them, I was able to convince them to give me a chance to rescue her and two other girls. She even tried to pay me back. Be it through sex, money, straps and so on," He confessed, while the girl blushed slightly at the imagery.

"W-what did you choose?" She asked.

"Nothing," He replied.

"Eh? Nothing...? But wasn't it dangerous?" She asked, not able to believe her own ears.

"It was, after saving her, five thugs ambushed our group, but I managed to fool them into thinking that they broke up a deal I made with her lover, who stole a bunch of money," He explained.

"But... why? Why did you help them just like that?" She couldn't understand the idea of someone willing to risk their lives just like that.

The Courier chuckled. "It was one of the rare cases where my mercenary standard was replaced by my conscience," He admitted. "Please, don't tell anyone, they would expect me to work for free after that."

Haruhime giggled and nodded, with a bit more life in her. "I promise."

"Smile, that's more like it," Courier complimented, while the girl blushed slightly. "So, Haruhime, can you tell me why are they keeping you here anyway? Is it for the money or something?"

"No..., they want to... perform a ritual," She said, while Courier's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What kind of ritual are we talking about?" He inquired, not liking the sound of that.

"There is a ritual... that allows sacrificing a soul of Renart to obtain their magic in a shape of a jewel," She explained and Courier had to stop himself from standing up and walking out to murder whoever was stupid enough to try something like this. "As long as the gem is intact the Renart can function, but..."

"But...?" He asked, not liking the sound of that.

"But if the stone were to shatter... the soul would be damaged," She finished.

"Who wants to do that and why?" He asked, as he barely restrained himself. He thought slavery was bad, but somehow, someway, he found something even worse.

"Ishtar... She wants the power to dethrone goddess Freya. She tried once before, but Aisha stopped her," She replied.

"Aisha? Is that a friend of yours?" He inquired.

"Yes... She broke the first stone, but it seems like... she is no longer herself," She admitted. _So, soul sacrifice, brainwashing, slavery. Ishtar... I am coming for your ass!_

"I see... How does she look like?" He asked while Haruhime described the same girl that stopped him the first time he came to the district. "Okay, that's all I needed to know."

This girl was innocent and had a bad card dealt to her. She didn't deserve any of it, just like Wiene, Xenos and Lilly did. He wouldn't let Ishtar get away with it. He would not stand idly anymore, he made his choice, even if it meant he had to take on the whole city by himself. The Guild, the gods? None of it would stop him, not anymore.

The Courier then stood up, before offering his hand to the girl. "Sanjouno Haruhime, if you wish, I will save no matter what it takes, but only if you trust me."

She looked at the hand, then back at the man, bit her lip, before nodding. "... I do," She said, before taking up Courier's hand, which felt oddly warm to her and standing up.

"First let's get that collar off, shall we?" Courier asked, before producing a lockpick and a screwdriver out of thin air.

"How did you...?" She asked as she stared at the man.

"Magic, now please give me a second," He said and walked up to the girl.

"It's magical, you can't take it off without a key," She explained, while Courier snorted.

"I have picked locks far worse than that," He replied, as he remembered military-grade hardware, he was able to bypass, even when they lacked a keyhole. And with a simple click, the collar, fell to the ground. "Now, onto the rest."

Haruhime nodded, her eyes spread wide open. Courier wasted no time opening the locks on her wrists and legs, letting her go. "Now, listen to me carefully, Haruhime. We will have to sneak around the whole district, so keep close and don't do anything reckless. If we are spotted, it would make it whole operation far harder."

"I-I know of a way that will let us avoid the Amazonesses," She said, while the Courier turned towards her.

"You do? In that case, lead the way, I will follow. However, we need to head north, there is a safe place for you there," He replied, while the girl nodded.

He watched as the girl lead him through the back entrance, through side alleys, away from the Amazoness. It was actually kind of impressive how well versed the girl was in navigating the streets of Orario. He knew the area well enough, but he probably wouldn't have been able to plan out an almost perfect route like she did.

A while later, they found themselves at the edge of pleasure district, Haruhime looking a bit nervous as she touched the place where the collar used to be. Seeing this, he offered his hand to the girl, "Here, Haruhime."

She nodded and smiled, before gently wrapping her hand around his. He smiled beneath the bandages, before leading the girl through the side alleys and outside of the view of others as much as he could. The fewer people saw them, the harder would it be to track them down.

Soon, they found themselves standing in front of the workshop Loki lent him. It was far away from the district, only he and Loki had the keys and wouldn't attract any attention. The Hostess of Fertility was too crowded and he didn't want to explain his situation to miss Grand anytime soon.

He opened the door to the building, before leading Haruhime inside. Then he materialized one of his Roughin' it bedroll kits, before placing it on the ground. "Now, Haruhime, I am going to take care of Ishtar and I want you to stay here."

"What do you intend to do?" She asked, as she though what the Courier could do by himself.

"Simple, I am going to send Ishtar back to Heaven," He replied.

"It's too dangerous!" She protested. "Ishtar spends most of her time in the private brothel, there are Amazonesses there, you won't make it..."

"Haruhime, I know I may not look like it. But I am strong, more than you are giving me credit for. I don't intend to die, not after the promise I made. All I ask of you that you wait here for me, can you do that?" He asked, while the girl opened her mouth, closed it, before nodding weakly.

"Okay... but please, be careful," She said.

"I will," He said as he gently patted her on the head. "I promise, I will make it back just like I promised I would save you."

Haruhime blushed but nodded. "Thank you... I am not sure if I can ever..."

"Consider that one on the house," He said with a smile, which Haruhime returned. "For now, here are some supplies, you can use," He said before putting some purified water and some food he bought in Orario on one of the shelves. "I will be back before dawn, you have got my word."

"Okay, thank you... Six," She said, while the Courier nodded, locked the door behind him just in case and entered one of the side alleys. It was time the gods of Orario learnt about some true Wasteland justice.

* * *

Ryuu dressed in her adventurer's outfit was currently hiding among the trees on the floor 18. Finding the spot that Six mentioned took a bit of time, what she found actually made her frown. Members of Ganesha Familia were patrolling an area around the massive metal door, with some members going through a crudely cut entrance.

Not far from it, she could see the remains of the plant Six most likely encountered, judging by the massive hole in the ground. As much as she wanted to get closer and find out more about this whole place, it wouldn't have been the best idea. For the time being, she needed to go back and around, hopefully then, she would uncover something useful.

* * *

The Courier stood in a side alley, browsing through his pipboy, before he found the armour he was looking for. Stealth Suit Mark 2. It was a streamlined full body suit with protective attachments on the chest shoulders, forearms and knees. It also had a matching helmet that was way different from the Chinese version it was based with two visors and a mouthguard. The suit one had one major problem, it liked to talk, a lot.

"Will you love me if I help you hide?" The onboard AI said.

"I already love you, my dear," Courier replied.

"Aw, you're my best friend forever," The AI chirped.

With the introduction out of the way, the Courier crouched instantly turning invisible due to integrated stealth field that could work basically forever, unlike the stealth boys or stealth nanobots. Still, the suit was amazing with good damage threshold, decent damage resistance and a plethora of functions.

It boosted his already impressive sneak capabilities, rubberized dampening compound to enhance manual dexterity, automatic fitting to user's shape and frame or advanced servomotor buffers in the leg rigs, allowing for faster sneaking, not to mention Anti-Vis Coating, Energy Disruption Plating and Advanced Fibre Coils. Overall, the suit was probably one of the most advanced and treasured items in his entire inventory, despite the minor flaws it had.

With the suit put on, the Courier began making his way back to the pleasure district to the biggest brothel he saw there, avoiding bumping into others, like the customers of the district. And just as expected it was heavily guarded with most of the windows closed and a pair of Amazoness standing in front of it.

He decided to circle around just in case if there was a better option for him to enter. And there he saw it, an open window. Of course, jumping in would disable the stealth field, but that's why he had stealth nanobots. However, instead of doing that, he decided to climb up and keep the stealth nanobots active during the activity. The Courier instantly tensed as at least four Amazonesses turned towards his direction. He was in Caution state as they stared in his direction.

"Did you see anything?" One of them asked.

"For a second I thought I heard something, but I think it was my imagination," She replied before turning away from the window, the indicator now back in Hidden.

The room the Courier was located in resembled some kind of bedroom with a single massive bed in the middle of it. There were some sofas and such, but nothing remarkable, outside of it looking rather nice all things considered. There were also two doors, he could go through. One on his right, the other in front of him, both of them closed.

Deciding on the one in front of him, he walked up to the frame and made sure nobody was looking before he silently opened the door and squeezed through it. There the Courier found himself in a massive room, with a stairwell leading to the second floor he was located on, with at least thirty members of the Familia were lazing around.

In front of him stood Ishtar, guarded by her strongest members. The goddess had brown skin and was well endowed. She was wearing revealing attire similar to that of Amazonesses, consisting of a single red-orange piece of cloth around her neck that barely covered her breasts and a matching pareo around her waist that reached down to her ankles.

To any other person, she might have been straight out gorgeous, but to the Courier was not fazed by her beauty, his hatred towards the goddess exceeding anything the goddess could muster, making Freya look like a bloody saint all things considered. However, as much as he wanted to draw his pistol and blow her brains out, he needed to wait for an opportunity to arise.

"Now, everyone, on to the streets, find as many good men as you can and drain them dry!" Ishtar ordered while Amazoness cheered before vast majority left for the district.

Ishtar smiled before she began walking by herself to the room located not far off from the staircase. The Courier following right behind and just as the door opened, he barely managed to squeeze through, before the door was closed by the only male member of the Familia he had seen thus far. The room itself looked like some kind of office with a mahogany desk, a queen-sized bed and was decorated with all sorts of ornaments, like jewellery, paintings and such.

The Courier wasted no time, before sneaking up behind the goddess and grabbing her from behind, covering her mouth immediately. "Don't even think about screaming or I will snap your neck right here, right now," He growled, his voice distorted by the helmet.

The goddess looked terrified as she twisted her head slightly towards his helmet. "Murgh!"

"Shut up, I don't care what you have to say anyway. You are a sick woman, aren't you?" He asked his helmet turned towards her. "Going as far as to sacrifice a soul of innocent girl for your own personal gain, brainwashing the one that tried to protect her... You have got no clue how I wish I could strap you to a bloody table and tear you apart bit by a bloody bit."

"Urgh," Ishtar gulped. Her charm wasn't working, why wasn't it working at this close distance?!

"Unfortunately, as much as I would love to do just that, I can't risk it. Now, do me a favour, Ishtar. Fuck off and never come back," He growled and snapped her neck.

A pillar of white light exploded out of the goddess sending him crashing to the floor, his stealth field activated immediately as he hit the floor with a thud. The door opened almost immediately, while the Courier was still recovering a group of Ishtar members barged inside.

"Ishtar! Goddess!" They shouted as they looked around frantically.

"What happened?!" The male yelled as he looked at the massive hole in the ceiling created by Goddess being sent back to Heaven.

"I don't know! It makes no sense!" An Amazoness said.

"Quick look around for anything, anyone, they couldn't have gone far," He said, as the members of the Familia began looking around the room for clues. That was his cue to leave.

However, it looked like he wouldn't be able to escape as easily as he thought. The room was packed and the entrance was blocked by Amazonesses, which was the only way out of the room. Luckily enough, Ishtar's 'death' caused quite a lot of problems for her Familia. All the members of her Familia were just slightly stronger than an average athletic person without Falna. With 'death' of their god, their Falna was sealed, thus making them as powerful as ordinary people. And that brought joy to Courier's heart, glad he didn't have to borrow power from some kind of arcane sugar mommy.

Regardless, he still couldn't escape, but he now had a plan. He looked around, noticed a bit of wood from the roof and tosses it into the corner of the room, everyone's attention focused on it. It also caused a small shift in the doorframe, just big enough for him to squeeze through. Both implant GRX and Kinetic implants were activated, allowing him to move faster than sound, yet without causing any sound.

He had no clue how it worked, but he was going to take it. Sneaking through the brothel he made his way to the room he came through, before jumping through the window, this time without anyone looking at it. He landed with a thud on the ground and began making his back to Haruhime.

As he made his way to the girl, the Courier pondered on his actions thus far and what else he could do. The Guild was just like NCR, wrapped up in paperwork not able to do anything by itself. Orario was pretty much ruled by Familias and crimes like Haruhime, Lilly, etc were pretty common. However, he had a plan.

He secured New Vegas as a powerful independent nation with the help of Yes-Man, he would do the same for Orario. However, doing it by himself right now was pretty hard. He needed an army and he just had the resources to pull it off. All he needed now was a construction site, the materials and he would be golden.

It's not like he could store tanks or an entire army, could he? The Courier paused, as he realized something. All this time, he had been storing items that weighted less than his maximum weight capacity, with one of the heaviest being the Jukebox. In fact, now that he thought of it, he couldn't remember what happened to X-42 Giant Robo Scorpion. He definitely didn't blow it up. That thing was too good too simply destroy. He hoped me a note at the bare minimum.

He looked up his notes, where there was a rather new entry, he couldn't remember reading. It was labelled 'New Pipboy Storage Manual'. Oh, that explained it, he almost never read any manuals or any other books outside of skill books and magazines. He opened the file and began reading.

"Pipboy storage instruction manual by Think Tank. The current iteration of pipboy of storing in theory infinite amount of equipment and such. However, due to certain limitations of current technology, the pipboy can only store items that weigh less than the user's maximum carry capacity without overtaxing the processor. Should the user attempt to do store items heavier than that, the pipboy would stop working and focus purely on the task of storing the item. The estimated time of completing such task would equal the weight of the item divided by the user's maximum capacity in seconds, with additional five minutes needed for the pipboy to reboot," He read. "What...?"

He had no idea anything like this existed. Sure, he had a portable workbench, reloading bench, electric hot plate he could use at any moment, but barely used them now that he thought of it. The campfires were common and with all the ammo he had, he didn't have to use reloading bench to convert weak ammo types into something better or to make rockets. Even the workbench was rarely used, with all the supplies he had.

He checked further that new part of storage hidden in one the side tabs, which was turned off for some reason and began browsing through new objects he found there. The Courier could feel his jaw drop to the ground, as he read through their names. "An X-42 Giant Robo Scorpion, A41 Centurion Tank, M113 APC... The fuck?"

The Courier could only stare. On one hand, it was incredibly overpowered, but on the other hand, not something he needed on a regular basis. Then, he realized something, he didn't have to tear apart his shuttle! He could have just stored it in his pipboy! He facepalmed and sheer idiocy he exhibited.

Still, it's not like he needed the tank or anything else at this very moment and he still had to build all the robots from the scratch anyway. In fact, it was better to keep it hidden for the darkest hour, so he turned off the storage once more and set off towards the workshop, still cursing his own stupidity on his way there.

* * *

"What the fuck was he?!" Valletta Grede yelled as she looked at what remained of their group.

"How would we know?! We are as confused as you are!" One of them yelled.

"Shut up, I want answers and I want them right now," She hissed and began stomping in an empty room of the Knossos labyrinth."It wasn't magic, that much was for certain. The armour he wore... those weapons... they hit like magic swords, but without magic."

"Where do you think he got those things?" One of the girls asked.

"Hell if I know, all I know is that our business with Xenos is dead in the water thanks to that asshole. The guild knows about the entrance on floor eighteen, which means we might have to collapse entire floor to protect the rest of the structure," She replied. "If Ishtar withdraws her support we will be in deep shit, to say the least."

"Let's hope that doesn't happen. So, what do we do now?" A male asked.

"Now, we need to figure out who the hell that fucker is and kill him. We will hire the assassins to take care of him and set up a trap, filled with explosives. That ought to do it if not, we are fucked one way or another," She replied, fuming furiously.

Watching from the corner was Ikelos, a god of Ikelos Familia. He had dark blue hair and eyes, with brown skin and black clothes on top of him. While the death of Dix Perdix and a few other members caused some trouble for his Familia, he couldn't care less about what happened to them.

The one who massacred them was so interesting, he was curious about what he would do next and see how would he fare against the ambush they were preparing. It was so fun, watching the mortals. All that struggle, intrigue brought joy to him and many other gods and he couldn't wait to see how things played out.

* * *

It didn't take long before the Courier arrived back at the workshop, switched back into his old outfit and opened the door, Haruhime immediately turning towards him. "I'm back," He said.

"Welcome back," She greeted him with a smile and walked up to him. "You did it..."

"How do you know about that?" He asked, not expecting that.

"I could feel my Falna being sealed off and I saw the pillar of light in the distance," She explained.

"That explains it. Say, how does it feel to have your Falna sealed?" He asked.

Haruhime blinked, before thinking for a moment. "It feels like... a lot of strength was drained from me and I can't move the same way I did... why?"

"Just curious, I don't have a Falna myself, so I was wondering," He replied with a shrug, while Haruhime's eyes spread wide open.

"You don't have a Falna...? And you managed to defeat Ishtar? How?" She asked, not able to believe her own years.

"It's rather complicated, to say the least. Now, can you not tell others about it? The gods wouldn't leave me be if they found out," He asked, while Haruhime nodded with a smile.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise. It's the least I can do after you went through all this trouble to save me," She replied, her tail swishing back and forth.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," He replied and gently patted her on the head, which she seemed to enjoy. "Now then, let's get out of here," He said and offered his hand.

"Okay," She replied, grabbed the Courier's hand and for the first time in a very long time, Haruhime felt all warm on the inside as she followed her saviour, a small smile spread on her lips.


	16. Chapter 16

The Courier and Haruhime made their way to the Hostess of Fertility, the fox girl glancing towards her left hand, which was held in a firm grip by the man, a small smile evident on her face as she watched the city's nightlife.

"Six...?" She began.

"Something wrong?" He asked, glancing back towards the girl.

"No, it's just that... I am not sure where we are going?" She inquired.

"Hostess of Fertility, it's a pub where I am currently staying at. It's pretty safe all things considered: you should be safe there, Ms Grand is not someone to be messed with, let me tell you that," He explained as he remembered the power of the owner and her employees.

"I see...," Haruhime replied.

Every now and then some of the adventurers would glance in their direction but, Six didn't seem to mind, ignoring their stares as he did many times before. It only took a moment before the two found themselves inside of the pub, filled to the brim with adventurers, locals and so on and so forth. Immediately, he noticed Ms Grand looking at him, her eyebrow raised as he made his way to the counter.

"Good evening, miss Grand," Courier greeted.

"Good evening, may I ask who is that friend of yours and why is she dressed like that?" She asked, suspicious of the sudden arrival, especially considering Courier's previous behaviour.

"She is a friend that needs a place to stay," He lied, while the woman narrowed her eyes at the evasive answer.

"This is an honest pub, not a brothel, nor a criminal hideout, I hope you realize that," She said with a glare.

"Funny you say that, considering that some of your employees are not far off from what you have just said," Courier countered, bringing his face closer.

"Heh, so, you found out about that fact, didn't you? Now then, what's stopping me from just kicking you out right here and now?" She asked, glaring right back at the man.

"Because I believe you are better than that, Ms Grand," He replied, while the woman's eyebrow raised.

"Explain yourself," She demanded.

"I know that you extended help to someone who was known as a murderer at the time," He replied. "All I am asking you is that listen to why I brought Haruhime here and then we will work from there."

"So... that's your name?" She asked while the girl nodded. "... Follow me to the kitchen, Ryuu, keep an eye out on the pub, would you?" She said, while the elf girl nodded, her gaze following the group. She also ordered May to leave them for a moment. "Now, then, it'd better be good, Six."

"Oh, I assure you. I wouldn't have brought Haruhime here if it wasn't important," He replied.

"I hope so, the pleasure district is in chaos after Ishtar was killed," She said.

"Yep, that's what I expected to happen after killing her," He admitted, with a shrug, while Mia's eyes spread wide open.

"You did what...?" She asked, then turned to Haruhime, who hid behind the Courier. "I see... I am guessing, you did it for her, didn't you? Now, what did Ishtar do that would make you kill a goddess?"

"She intended to sacrifice Sanjouno Haruhime's soul so that she could use her magic to overthrow Freya," He summarized.

"She did what!? Explain yourself," She demanded, before the Courier told her the whole story, avoiding the details on how he accomplished such a thing. "That woman...," Mia muttered, before sighing. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest. These two have never been on good terms anyway. Did you know that I used to be a captain of Freya's Familia a couple of years back?"

"You did, huh? Well, I expected something like this, after seeing your strength in person, but still... Freya, really? She actually let you go?" He inquired, while Mia chuckled.

"It took a lot of convincing, but with Ottar as a captain, I was able to retire from adventuring. Now then, what do you expect me to do?" She asked.

"Well, I was hoping that you would let Haruhime stay here and perhaps even hire her as a waitress," He explained.

"A waitress...?" Haruhime asked.

"Yep, with Mia here, you will be safe and gain some experience that doesn't involve sex," He replied, while the girl blushed in embarrassment.

"So, you killed a goddess to save a prostitute... You have got some big balls, don't you?" Mia asked with a bit of a smile. "However, what's in it for me?"

"I knew you would ask about that. So, here is my offer: I will pay for Haruhime's expenses, renting another room here and the same wage you are paying your waitresses. In exchange, you will keep this conversation a secret between us and won't let anyone hurt Haruhime," He offered.

"Hmm... That's not bad, for a start, that is. However, let me add another condition. I want you both to keep what you know about me and other waitresses a secret. If you do not...," She warned.

"You will either kill me or do something worse, am I correct?" He guessed while the woman nodded.

"Pretty much. Also, I am not covering for you when the guild and other parties come looking for the perpetrator," She added.

"I expected as much. However, you won't need to worry about that. I intend to lay low for the time being, away from the Hostess of Fertility. Of course, I will still pay full rent, until I can come back, is that alright with you?" He asked while the woman closed her eyes for a moment, before nodding her head in approval.

"That's acceptable for me. Still, do me a favour and don't die, I like paying customers," She said with a grin and offered her hand.

"And I like being alive," He replied and returned the handshake, the grip stronger than he remembered.

"Alright then, Haruhime, follow me and I will show you the ropes. You, on the other hand, get out of my pub, before I change my mind," She said.

"No need to tell me twice," He replied, before dropping an upfront payment on one of the counters, turning around and leaving the kitchen.

He was about to leave, when Ryuu walked up to him, glaring daggers at him. "What is the meaning of this, Six?"

"It's a long story, miss Lion," He replied with a sigh. "I will tell you later, when I get back, okay?"

He moved towards the exit, but the elf stopped him. "... What did you do?"

"Ask Mia, she will tell you everything. Right now... I have to go," He replied, before manoeuvring around the girl and leaving the pub behind. Ryuu watched him leave, still determined to find out what happened.

* * *

Orario was on fire, well maybe not literally, but close enough. The guild was doing overtime due to Ishtar's death. There were conflicting reports coming in, both Ganesha and Apollo Familias were summoned to search for suspects and question all the members. And to make it all worse, they still had other adventurers to deal with, like those who went to the Dungeon during that fateful night. Even something as simple as preparing a burial for a low-level adventurer had to be postponed, not to mention the Soma Familia, who was responsible for it in the first place.

There, in the depths of the Guild, Fels stood in front of Ouranos. "Fels, have you found out anything thus far?"

"Nothing major, I am afraid. From what we have managed to gather, the assailant was able to sneak into Ishar's home and avoid all the adventurers located inside, the total of which was around thirty during the event," Fels replied.

"... Invisibility?" The god asked.

"Possible, in that case, it would require the skill 'Enigma', which very few possess and none of them was responsible for the event," He replied.

"...This will not end well. The gods are already starting to hear rumours about Ishtar and many have taken additional measures to prevent the same thing happening to them. Even right now, Loki, Hephaestus and Ganesha have got at least two guards with them all the time, among many others. And yet for some reason, I have got a feeling that either Red Glare or Courier Six was responsible for it," He said.

"It is possible, though, in Six's case, it seems rather odd. He exhibited nothing short of contempt for the gods of Orario and for him to suddenly kill a goddess would work against him. Then again, he is capable of being rather stealthy, all things considered," Fels voiced his opinion as he tried to figure out whether or not the man was responsible for the events that happened. "Do you wish for me to fetch him for questioning?"

"... It wouldn't hurt, but if the man is responsible for Ishar's return to heaven, do we have a way to contain him? After all, the Courier was able to defeat a Barbarian without Falna. If he truly is that strong...," Uranous started.

"Then should I ask Freya, Loki and such for help?" Fels asked as he tried to figure out how they were going to deal with someone so strong.

"Not yet, right now, we have to get this all under control and then invite him for questioning. We will need all the help we can get to deal with someone strong like him," Uranous replied.

"Agreed, however, let's assume that Courier Six is responsible for Ishar's death, what should we do then?" Fels asked.

"Depending on the reasons, we might either have to sentence him to death or throw him in jail. Ishtar's death damaged the Guild's finances and if the man keeps killing all the gods in Orario, it will cause chaos. However, we have to know what happened and why," Uranous replied.

"I understand, then, I shall get down to it," Fels said, before leaving the god alone.

* * *

The Courier woke up inside the workshop Loki provided, blinking his eyes owlishly. For a moment, he couldn't remember what happened, when everything that happened yesterday came rushing back. Haruhime, Ishtar, Mia, Ryuu and everything that followed. He really should have thought it out more but, there were still things needed to be done.

Just as he was about to leave, a knock on the door stopped him in his tracks. The Courier frowned, opened the door and found himself facing a seven-foot giant. The man was tall and muscular with rust coloured hair and eyes, along with a pair of boar eyes. He was wearing a dark blue sleeveless top with a collar like part, grey pants and brown and grey shoes.

"... Can I help you with something?" Courier asked, trying to remember if he had ever met the man before.

"Goddess Freya wishes to speak with you, right now," He answered.

"Right now? That's a bit sudden, don't you think?" He argued, not really wanting to meet with Freya.

"Not as sudden as the death of Ishtar, which you caused," He replied, the Courier tensing instantly.

"That's an interesting theory, you got there partner. Might sharing more details?" He asked.

"You will find out everything when you meet with my goddess. Don't try anything stupid," The man warned.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you, big guy or whatever the hell your name is," He countered with a snort.

"It's Ottar, now are you going to come by your own free will or...?" The man asked, the intent obvious.

"... Fine, I'll go," Courier replied, before locking the door behind him as he followed the man.

The man simply nodded as the two began to make their way through Orario. In the meantime, the Courier put his mind into overdrive trying to figure out how the fuck did Freya figure out that it was him who did it? He was invisible all this time, he hadn't met her that day, so how? It made no sense, not even point-blank deathclaw could detect when he was standing in front of him, yet she somehow did. It was unexpected and very worrisome. Still, he had to know what happened.

The time it took for the Courier to reach the destination was minimal. Their destination; a small deserted cafe, where several strong looking adventurers were located, all eyeing him suspiciously. He didn't recognize any of them, not like he cared, as he made his way inside of a rather comfy cafe. There he saw Freya, guarded by at least five level five or six adventurers, if he was right. As soon as she saw him, she put down her cup and smiled towards him.

"Good afternoon, Six," She greeted.

"Afternoon, Freya," He said back, the bodyguards glaring at him. Sat on the opposite side of the goddess on an empty chair, while Ottar stood behind him, most likely as a precaution. "I admit, I didn't expect to see so many bodyguards with you. Worried that you will get ambushed or something?"

"Worried? No, prepared. After all, you have managed to kill Ishtar without anyone noticing," She said, while the Courier glared at her from behind the helmet.

He sighed and leaned into his chair. "So, what makes you think that I killed Ishtar?"

"The fact that I saw you as you made your way through the city with a Renart and then back to Ishtar's home base while being invisible?" She countered.

"Oh really? I was invisible? What do you have got some kind of goddess sight that lets you see the truth of the world around you?" He asked with a sarcasm dripping from his voice, while the bodyguards grasped their weapons harder.

"Nothing of this sort I am afraid," She replied.

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you? Alright, assuming you did see me, what did I do and what order?" He asked, leaning towards the goddess.

Freya simply smiled and told him the exact route he took, the brothel he went in, the girl he saved, everything. "So, do you believe me now?"

"... You know, I could deny that but I doubt it would work, not with your 'I can't lie to a god' bullshit. Now then, here is my question, what do you intend to do with this knowledge?" The Courier asked. He had a pretty good idea what Freya wanted from him, not like he was going to give it to her. He made his choice, he wouldn't be afraid of the gods, not anymore.

"I believe you already know what I desire. Question is, are you going to become mine in exchange for not letting the Guild know?" She asked. Her ability of being able to see souls was the reason it worked. She didn't see him in person. However, she did see his soul, which was all that mattered.

"...Heh, hahaha, hahahahaahaha!" The Courier laughed, the goddess blinking at his sudden outburst. "Tough luck, Freya. If you had asked me like a week ago with a proof like this? I probably would have tried to negotiate with you at the bare minimum. Now...? You can go to hell for all I care," He replied, with a snort.

The silence that followed was ominous to say the least. Ottar's hand was on the handle of his massive weapon, same with the bodyguards and the tension so high it could be cut with a knife.

"May I ask what do you mean by that?" She asked, leaning towards him.

"I am done running away, from you, from the guild, from the city itself. I don't care if you tell the guild, I don't care if I have to fight the entire city of Orario by myself," He said as he leaned towards the goddess, his feelings true at the time.

"... That's not what I expected," She said, sighed and gestured for everyone to lower their weapon. "May I ask what's with the sudden change?"

"Ishtar, she got on my shit list and reminded me of some of my past. Suffice to say, it's not pleasant," He said with a snort.

"... I see. Alright, then let me ask you this. What do you intend to do with me, now that I know what you did?" She asked, her first plan going up in flames.

"Depends on you really. I would rather not send you back to Heaven if I can help it," He said, while Freya cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean by that?" She inquired.

"You remember how I called you creepy and such?" He asked, while the goddess nodded. "Yeah, it turns out, you are not the worst goddess in the world."

"How dare you...," Ottar growled, looking like he wanted to murder the man.

"Hey, it's a compliment, as far as I am concerned. I hate more than ninety-five per cent of all the gods anyway," He said with a shrug.

"That doesn't explain it that well I am afraid, care to indulge me with your reasoning?" She asked.

"All right, let's be honest here. Freya, tell me, have you ever sacrificed anyone's soul to gain another member of your harem, destroyed Familia for love or I don't know, enslaved anyone?" He asked, looking her dead in the eye, searching for any kind of sign of deception.

The goddess simply smiled and shook her head. "I am afraid I haven't done anything you have mentioned. It's true that I have taken many members of other Familias using my charm, but I have never done anything you have mentioned."

He couldn't see her lying, but considering she was a goddess, it was to be expected. Being able to tell whether the god or goddess was lying was incredibly hard and even he couldn't tell how honest Freya was. Still, the intel he had on Freya did align with what she told him, which only made it worse.

"So, my turn. Did Ishtar do anything you just accused me off?" She asked.

"All three things. Enslavement, almost sacrificed a soul, destroyed other Familias for her own personal gain just to get back at you. And you have got no idea how hard it is to admit it, but compared to her? You're a bloody saint," He said, feeling like he just swallowed a bitter pill.

Freya blinked for a moment, before giggling, her smile a little bit bigger. "I see, it's not what I wanted to hear, but I am glad that you think that way."

"Don't get your hopes up, you still creep me out all things considered," He said, while the bodyguards looked at him with hate.

"I suppose it's to be expected. Tell me, because I am curious, what would it take for you to fall in love with me instead?" She asked, still vividly remembering being called a slut, by the man in front of her.

"... Are you serious? I have never fallen in love with anyone in my entire life, why would you be any different?" He asked, amused by the sheer stubbornness of the goddesses. "The answer is still no. I don't care what you do, I will not fall in love with you or any other goddess."

For a moment, silence reigned, before Freya sighed and smiled weakly. "I suppose I am not surprised, in that case, you should take it," She said, before putting an envelope in front of him.

"What's this?" Courier asked as he glanced at the object.

"Invitation to a party hosted by Apollo Familia, it will start in two weeks, enough to give you time to prepare for it," She said.

"No offence, but why the hell would I want to come?" He asked with a deadpan.

"You don't have to, there is nothing forcing you to do it. However, I am pretty certain the Guild will do everything to capture the culprit. If that were to happen, I expect that they will rally powerful Familias from around Orario to capture you. Even you won't be able to handle them all at once," She explained.

"... Huh, so, if I accept this invitation, you will help me out with the Guild, am I correct?" He asked.

"If you do accept the invitation and come, I may be able to help you with the Guild. However, I expect that you and I will spend some time together at the party, without hostility between us," She replied.

"Hmm... I see. There is just one invitation in there isn't it?" He asked, as he weighed his options.

"Two actually, one for you and one for a companion of your choice, as an encouragement," She replied.

"Huh, that's clever. So, I could not come, but then you will not help me out and me along with someone else will miss out on the party? Not bad, Freya," He said, while the goddesses smiled.

It was a good tactic. He was quite a bit greedy and if he could get some food without paying, he would take it. After all, for the majority of his life, he scavenged everything he could, lived off the land and so on and so forth. The fact that he would have to deal with Freya for a bit, wouldn't be worse than a party full of ex-cannibals.

"Indeed, so can I expect you to come?" She asked.

"Perhaps. After all, you can still be useful to some extent," He replied, while the Freya's bodyguards glared at him.

"Still adamant about staying away from me?" She inquired, while Courier snorted.

"Understatement of the year right here and now, ladies and gentlemen," He replied with a snort.

"Perhaps I will have to try harder then?" She asked, with a predatory smile.

"You don't want to do that, trust me on this one. It will cost you dearly, I assure you," He replied looking right at the goddess, who simply giggled in response.

"Maybe, but I will not give up regardless. Now then, take care, Six and try to stay low," She said, before leaving the cafe with her Familia.

"... I hate gods," Courier muttered to himself.

He messed up a bit, didn't he? Taking care of Omertas wasn't nearly as bad nor didn't carry as big consequences. Sure, Assassination Squad was not the nicest thing he experienced, but being questioned and having an entire city against him was not something he expected. The only time that something similar happened was when he killed Caesar and had to fight his way out of the fort, murdering legionnaires by the dozens. But, for right now, he had some things to take care off, including Welf, checking up on Nahza, Soma Familia, building an army and so on and so forth. If the Guild wanted to come after him, then they'd better be packing some serious heat.

* * *

However, before he could do so, he went in one of the side alleys and brought up his pipboy, making sure nobody was watching him. Instead of the typical armour he wore, he put on Daniel's outfit, along with a hat with a pair of lucky shades. The problem were his bandages, which still covered most of his face.

The idea of taking them off... it was weird to him. He hadn't always worn them, but started at one point in time, part of it in shame from the things he did, part of it, not wanting others to see the face of the man responsible for the Long fifty-one or Dry Wells. While he could put on a White Glove Society Mask, it would stick out even more than his casual clothing. With a reluctance, he slowly took off the bandages, leaving his lips and nose visible.

They were rather unremarkable, straight nose of average size, lips similar to many others and a single scar that ran from the middle of his left eyebrow, through his eye and down till it ended on the cheek. The skin behind the bandages was pale, an evidence of him wearing his armour all the time. It was better to be uncomfortable than find yourself with a knife in your gut.

The Courier rubbed his skin, feeling a bit itchy, before sighing and silently leaving the alley. He hated not being in full armour covering his body, he hated feeling exposed, but right now, he had to lay low. The Guild would be looking for him and he didn't want to fight them just yet.

With his mind made up, the Courier began his plan. Most of the day was spent with him setting up an empty warehouse and getting regular shipments of material there. Luckily enough, a big pile of Valis allowed him to avoid dealing with the Guild, who had control over the Dungeon and adventurers but didn't control every single building in the city.

The building he arrived at was big, really bloody big, located in the west of the city where most of the working class resided. It was three stories high, with stone walls and spaced rooftop, around twenty meters long and ten meters wide. Inside the building were pillars that supported the structure, stone floor and the first batch of materials he ordered.

Several crates filled with precious metals, tools and such were the first step of his plan. All he needed right now was to start building an army. While he could create tiny roboscorpions that acted as sentries and mines, he needed something more powerful and deadly, not to mention bigger. The holograms were hidden around the warehouse turned off by default, cameras and proximity detectors being the first line of defence. They would keep others away, but they wouldn't be able to excavate the dirt or build robots he needed.

That's where the materials came in. With all the scrap electronics and his skill and knowledge he would be able to start producing them. Then the robots would slowly make a tunnel out of Orario, which would lead outside. And thanks to his pipboy, he would be able to keep the operation secret and dump the dirt safely outside.

The Courier nodded, before he materialized the materials, which he ordered to Loki's workshop and began his work. First of all, he set up a Workbench, Reloading Bench and an electric hot plate. With those he would be able to efficiently make all the necessary components, including Scrap Metal, Fission Batteries and Scrap Electronics. Using an Arc Welder, which used to be a pre-war piece of construction equipment, which allowed it to weld sheets of metal. This combined with Industrial Hand allowed him to quickly make the frame for the robot factory that would build all the robots by itself.

While he had a lot of materials at hand and some of the more advanced devices like Autodoc, Sierra Madre Vending Machine, Splicing Facility and all the automated personalities along with their functions, none of them was capable of creating robots by themselves. The closest one was that device from Divide, which remotely copied ED-E. And while eyebots were incredibly versatile and useful, including repairing equipment, energy cells production, enhanced protection and so on and so forth, they still had to be built.

This took him around two days of non-stop work, with only short breaks for a coffee and something to eat and drink. In front of him stood a big square, it's walls four meters long, located a meter away from one of the corners, giving it enough room to let holograms guard the entirety of it. It had a simple panel located in front of it, a hatch for the materials and some ports for connecting it with a pipboy and stealth suit.

The Courier then put on the aforementioned suit, the chirpy voice sounding in his ears. "Have you ever wanted to be invisible?"

"I did and you made it happen," He replied, the giggle of the stealth suit sounding in his ears. "Now, I have got a request for you, Stealth Suit Mark Two."

"Oh, do we have to sneak around bad guys?" She asked.

"Not exactly. I want your help with the schematics for the robots I intend to make. If you take control over this robot constructor I made, you should be able to make any robots as long as you have got the schematics," He explained.

"Do you want me to make Mean Robot Bugs?" She asked, thinking of the robot scorpions they fought together.

"Exactly, them and a couple of others, the schematics are already provided, along with the number of robots and their parameters," He replied. "Although don't copy yourself to any of them, I like you more this way."

"Aww... You're my best friend forever!" The Stealth Suit explained, before she connected herself to the device. "Starting production, first-order, Roboscorpions mark 6b, modified with drilling and digging equipment."

The machine came to life as advanced sensors and motors inside began working, the machine beeping around, before three minutes later, a roboscorpion walked out of it. They have a scorpion form with a yellow body, a shovel on its left arm, a drill on its right arm, a red tail, and green trim along the side of the body and the tail.

It walked up to him, awaiting commands. "Command, begin creating a hole, three meters long, three meters wide and nine meters deep, keep the noise low."

The robot beeped in affirmation, before it began doing what it was told. Soon after eleven more came out of the machine and began doing the same thing. It would lead out of Orario, he specifically chose a spot where the sewers were relatively underdeveloped allowing for such operation. After that, he began making a custom model of a robot, which would let him take over Orario with minimal effort.

The design was rather simple. It was a big metal box on tracks with hologram emitters located inside, while powerful shield generators prevented anyone from being able to harm the structure of the robot. And those shields were tough, incredibly tough. In fact, he tested them back in Big Mountain.

He used lasers, plasma, mini-nukes, rail guns, Archimedes Solar Artillery, everything at his disposal. Only the sonic emitter was able to take one of these down, because it was designed as a fail-safe. That also reminded him how Zero was trapped due to Dala messing with him, which gave him a chuckle.

While he could use Roboscorpions, Securitrons, Sentry Bots and such, they were nowhere near as good as the design he came up with. Still, they had other capabilities like self-repair, being able to do some manual work or repairing and maintaining nuclear silos as eyebots did. With them, he would be able to keep other robots running and by extension keep this whole operation running.

Once he had five of those constructed, he ordered them to standby in one of the corners away from the hole currently being dug, which he had to supervise. There would be more of them, but he needed more materials, a lot more. Luckily enough, with all the money he had and relatively low prices, it wouldn't be hard. He still had plenty of money left after all.

The next were eyebots, due to their sheer versatility. Twenty of those would keep other robots running, supplying them with microfusion cells, repairing their tools and creating satchel charges for defence and his enemies. However, just like roboscorpions they were built without true AI inside of them. He refused to use ED-E for them.

And once he built his shuttle he would take them with him. And with the tunnel leading out of Orario, he wouldn't have to worry about the Guild. All they needed was an elevator, which would be built by the eyebots, which could carry quite a lot and deposit it elsewhere, like the dirt.

While taking over the city would delay his departure, he wanted to fix a thing or two, before he left. There were still many Familias that caused trouble, not to mention the gods themselves. And while he could stay here, he had more reasons to leave. Between Freya, the Guild and other gods, the Mojave was starting to look more like a paradise. Sure, Deathclaws, Cazadors, Nightstalkers, Radiation, Raiders, Slavers and so on and so forth were not fun to deal with. But he would rather deal with them than the gods and other bullshit.

Although, that didn't solve any problems in the long run. The races of Orario were weak, so utterly weak that without gods that Orario wouldn't have existed and the world would be even more overrun with monsters. The problem was the Falna. It gave magic, power, speed and so on and so forth.

Back in his world, magic was nothing more than a myth, but even to him some of the perks he acquired were close to sorcery. Like Rad-Child which let him regenerate health at a rapid pace, Bloody Mess which boosted his damage and turned his enemies into chunks of blood and gore or even toughness, which somehow made him more resistant to every type of damage.

This combined with the huge durability of deathclaws, humans, super mutants and everything else, put him at an advantage. Even an average wastelander was stronger than adventurers of level two and below. Granted, the adventurers were powerful at higher levels, but most of them wouldn't stand a chance against a deathclaw, not unless they avoided getting hit in the first place.

Even speed-wise, he and ordinary bandits could avoid bullets coming right at them to an extent. While he couldn't say for certain why it was this way, he had a hunch that his DNA was quite a bit different from the sapient races of Orario. He would have to test it, luckily he had just a way to do so. A few strands of golden hair were snipped out of his pocket. They belonged to Haruhime and he found them lying in his workshop.

All he had to do is analyse it with the help of his pipboy and stealth suit and then directly compare their DNA, which should help in the future. That was rather simple all things considered, thanks to Big Mountain technology, which allowed it to splice beings instantly or create hybrids of coyote and rattlesnakes, called nightstalkers. It would take a bit of time in the background, but within a few days, the DNA sequencing should be done.

Now that he thought of it, there were still Xenos, Haruhime and that other dungeon he had to take care of. With the basics taken care off, it was a good time to pay a visit to Nahza, see if she needed something. He also could change back into his old armour now that he secured his location. Feeling better already, he set off to Blue Pharmacy.

* * *

It didn't take long, until he arrived at the building. He walked inside the building, Nahza smiling towards him.

"Good afternoon, Six. have you come here because of the request?" She asked.

"Actually, I didn't know you put in the request, but since I am here, why don't you fill me in?" He asked.

"I see. Well, first of all, we need another batch of blue papilos wings, which shouldn't be very hard. As for the second one, we need Bloodsaurus eggs, which can be found outside the city," She replied.

However, before he could accept the request, another man came in through the front door. He instantly recognized the man in question from the dossier, Eina provided. Miach had long dark blue hair and dark blue eyes. He was wearing a black robe, a tan brown stole that reached down past his shoulders, and brown shoes.

"Good afternoon," The god greeted with a smile.

"Good afternoon," The Courier replied.

Miach Familia was quite an odd one. From what he read they used to rather be a powerful Familia, somewhere in the middle. But then fell in debt with Dian Cecht Familia, which led to its current situation and lack of members. He had a feeling it was somehow connected to Nahza's fake arm, but he wouldn't pry, unless he had a reason.

"I don't believe we have met before, I am Miach, the god of Miach Familia," He introduced himself with a friendly smile, his hand extended.

"Six, Courier Six," He replied and returned the handshake.

"Oh, I remember you. Nahza told me you helped us out with blue papilos, didn't you?" The god asked.

"That I did and from what I gathered, it seems like you need some more help, don't you?" Courier asked while the god nodded.

"Indeed, now...," The god started, but before he could finish the door swung open and a duo of individuals passed through them.

"Oi, Miach, where is my money for your debt?" A man asked.

The man for some reason reminded him of Father Elijah, but less crazy, if not more greedy. He looked old, especially with grey hair and white robe with golden markings. Dian Cecht, the owner of the other medicinal type Familia with exuberant prices, he refused to deal with and now he had an additional reason not to do so. This god was a dick.

The second person was a rather stoic female, which reached somewhere around the base of his neck. She had long silver hair and purple, with a beauty that reminded him of an elaborate doll. And compared to Dian Cecht, she looked disappointed with her god, she was already looking better than the stuck up god. Her name was Airmid Teasanare.

"We have already paid our latest rent," Nahza said.

"What about the previous one? You still owe me for them and unless you get the money...," He warned.

"That's...," Miach started, not sure what to say.

"Talk about rude," Courier butted in, the god turning towards him.

"And who might you be?" The god asked, eyeing him up.

"Me? Just a customer of Miach," He replied with a shrug.

"Really? Miach? You sure they are not selling you watered down potions?" Dian snickered, while Nahza glared at him.

"Can't complain about the quality, plus the prices are not as high at your Familia," He replied.

"Perhaps, but you will not get any high quality elixirs or anything else here," The god said, before turning to Miach. "So, Miach, how long do you intend to keep me waiting?"

"I need a bit more time, all I need is some ingredients for the potions," Miach replied.

"You'd better. Now then, Airmid, let us leave," Dian said, before turning around and leaving. The girl smiled weakly, bowed before leaving after her god.

"What a dick," Courier said, while Nahza nodded.

"That's pretty accurate," She said, before sighing.

"So, mind telling me what kind of debt do you have anyway and why?" He asked, turning towards the gods.

"Why do you ask?" Miach asked.

"Just curious, not a big fan of stuck up dicks," He replied honestly.

"I see... Well, it's rather simple all things considered," Miach said, while Nahza took off her right glow and showcased her metal arm.

"Lord Miach sacrificed his Familia's wealth for a replacement arm for me," Nahza answered, looking fondly at the god, who seemed oblivious to it.

"... So, you basically ruined your Familia to help out one member of it?" Courier asked while the man nodded. "What you did... it was one of the dumbest things you could have done."

Nahza glared right at him, while Miach blinked. "Why do you say that?"

"If you simply supported Nahza, kept her company and slowly gathered money for the replacement you could have still had your Familia, even if it was slightly poorer," Six replied. "Out of curiosity, how much did that arm cost anyway?"

"Sixty million Valis," Miach replied, while the Courier whistled.

"Damn, no wonder you are in debt. What about you, Nahza? Can you go to the Dungeon or look for members?" He asked while the girl shook her head.

"I... don't want to go back to the Dungeon, never again," She replied,

"Nahza... had an accident," Miach said and told him the story of the girl. She was caught off guard by a monster, which ate her entire right arm off.

"So basically, you have PTSD," He summarized, while the two blinked.

"PTSD?" Miach asked.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it's an affliction that often follows war veterans and such. It's different from physical wounds that it's much harder to heal," He explained.

"I see... How hard would it be to cure it?" Miach asked as he glanced towards Nahza.

"Depends on the severity and cooperation of the patient. Regular meeting with someone with medical expertise, including mental trauma, followed by months or years of treatment," He replied.

"So... you can't help Nahza?" Miach asked while Courier crossed his arms.

"That's not accurate. I do possess the knowledge and medicinal expertise, but... I don't want to become a doctor for Nahza, I am afraid," He replied, while Miach sighed.

"I see... Don't suppose you are willing to change your mind for a reward?" Miach asked while Courier shook his head. Then he glanced at Nahza, who gave him a weak smile. "In that case, I hope you are willing to give a hand with two quests we have got for you."

"That's why I came here in the first place. I will help you out and get blue papilos wings done ASAP as for Bloodsaurus eggs... Do you think we can go get them tomorrow?" He asked while the two looked between each other.

"Sure, glad you are willing to help us," Miach said with a smile.

"Not for free though," Courier said, while Miach's smile dropped slightly.

"Of course, I wouldn't have expected otherwise. What would you like in return for your services?" He asked.

The Courier grinned behind his mask and chuckled. "See, I want to invest in your Familia and give Dian Cecht a run for his money, you catch my drift?"

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, not sure what the man wanted from them.

"Let's say I help you out, get you back on track and return to the market with adventurers of your own. In exchange, five per cent of your profits will go to me and I will get a permanent discount for your wares," He summarized.

"That's... not the worst deal in the world," Miach said. "But can you really do it?"

"I have managed to kill a Barbarian, so I am pretty sure I can handle a monster or two," He replied, while Miach blinked before smiling.

"That's reassuring. So, what now?" The god asked.

"Now? Now I am going to write a contract that both sides will find satisfactory. After that? Go to the Dungeon, get blue Papilos wings and do something productive, while you get yourself ready, how about it?" He asked.

"Very well. Thank you for your help, Six," The god said and extended his hand.

"I am not doing it out of the goodness of my heart, but eh, whatever," He replied and returned the handshake with a bit of hesitation. After all, Miach was already looking like a pretty decent god all things considered, especially compared to Freya or Ishtar.


	17. Chapter 17

"Blue Papilos, Blue Papilos where are you?" Courier sang quietly as he snuck towards the pantry, where he last saw them, Stealth Suit Mark Two equipped. "There you are!"

The overgrown butterflies were oblivious to his presence as the Courier found a spot, where nobody could see him, before changing into Armour of the 87th Tribe with a matching helmet, Blade of the West in his hands. Just as expected, the monsters turned towards him, but he was quicker and began butchering them without remorse, focusing on his targets first and foremost, while the monsters failed to deal any damage to him.

A moment later, the pantry's floor was drenched with blood, dozens of corpses laying on it. Cracking his knuckles, he began looting the corpses making sure to leave no stone unturned, especially blood sausages and such. Those things were very nutritious and could keep him going for quite a while, especially since he had hundreds of them at this point.

Once he was done with his quest, he began to make his way back to the surface. On his way there, he wondered how the Xenos and Hestia were doing at this time. The Xenos should be fine for the most part, at least for now. While Hestia... he had no clue what happened to her. Now that he thought of it, what happened to Bell's funeral? Something to keep in mind for the future. Shaking the thought from his head, the Courier left the Dungeon behind, before making his way back to the Blue Pharmacy, where Miach and Nahza were already waiting.

"Ah, Six, you are back, how did it go?" Miach asked.

"Here you go," He replied and placed the bag full of Blue Papilos wings on the counter, which spilled onto it.

"That was way faster than I expected," Nahza admitted, while checking the quality. "They look great, just as good as the last one."

"So, all we need is Bloodsaurus eggs?" Six, asked, while the two nodded. "Neat, so where do we go from here?"

"Well, we have already signed the agreement, so all we have to get is acquire the eggs. I was thinking we could leave tomorrow and gather the eggs together," The god replied.

"I could do it myself, you know," Six pointed out. In fact, after thinking things through a bit more, it seemed far more reasonable.

"I am not doubting your skills, but you still have to get those eggs back intact here, not to mention deal with the monsters themselves," He said.

"Oh please, I have travelled all around the world for a bunch of eggs multiple times. I can handle it," He said, which really wasn't a lie. The shotgun he received from Red Lucy, was proof of that.

"You did? When?" Miach asked, while Six shrugged. "I see... Perhaps, we could leave it to you, but I would rather not see you get hurt over us."

"Not to brag, but I am a courier, a guy who delivers packages from one place to another, even if it involves running all over the world, with bandits trying to kill me, monsters trying to eat me and such. If I couldn't handle a simple egg hunt, I would have died by now," He said, while Miach blinked at the honesty.

"That's... rather specific," He said.

"But not inaccurate. So, Miach, it's your call, but I can handle it, all you have to do is tell me where to go and what to do," He said.

"... Very well, we will remain here and focus on getting some potions out of the ingredients you have gathered. Let me tell you all the details," The god said.

"I see, that's not so far off from here. Alright, I should be back in a few days. Nahza, Miach, have a nice day," Courier said, nodded and left the building.

"Be careful!" Miach shouted behind him as the door closed, before sighing. "Is it really alright, Nahza?"

"I think so, besides I pity any monster that would dare to cross him," Nahza admitted.

"I hope you are right," Miach replied, while giving one last look at the door.

* * *

"Alright, that's one part of Miach's request done, now onto the second part," Courier muttered to himself and began walking towards one of the gates.

He was pretty certain that the Guild wouldn't let him in and out easily, considering he sneaked into town, running in and out would cause suspicion. So, just like the last time, he turned invisible and quickly walked past the guards, until he was far enough to turn himself visible. Now that was done, he began walking away from Orario, breathing in the fresh air.

"No more Freya, no more Guild, No gods, No masters. Oh, how I missed it so," He said to himself, feeling giddy all inside.

He looked around the city, the sun high in the air, as he pondered what to do next. Sure, he had to take care of Miach's request, but it wouldn't take long. Then, his gaze set upon the ocean, making him remember how he missed out on it the first time he came to this world.

But, as much as he wanted to go there and have some time for himself, the job came first. It would be his reward for all the trouble he would go through to get those eggs. With his mind made up, the Courier set out towards the wilderness. The journey to the area Miach told him about went swimmingly all things considered.

Outside of some weak monsters, a group of bandits or two, which he disposed of, there was nothing that could pose a threat. Not a single Deathclaw, Cazador, Nightstalker, not even a Tunneler. And the monsters on the surface were much weaker than the ones in the Dungeon. To put in comparison, a level four monster in the Dungeon was around level two on the surface, making it even more of a cakewalk than it already was.

Still, after a day's worth of travel, he found what he was looking for. A small herd of Bloodsaurus, around twenty of them located in a valley, away from the roads often used by travellers. They looked like red carnivorous dinosaurs, standing five meters in height. Honestly, it was quite fascinating to see them.

Back in his world, dinosaurs had long been extinct, but here, a monster that looked like one lived and bred freely. In fact, that made him realize something. He would never get an opportunity like this ever again. So, he was going to take some photos of them, as a reminder of his journey through this world.

Taking out his trusty camera, a Codac R9000, he took aim and took the picture. The flash alerted the monsters, which roared in fury, before charging right at him. The Courier sighed, turned around and began running away, doing his best impression of a screaming little girl, the monsters keen of dismembering him there and then.

This part of the request was the most annoying, since he wasn't supposed to kill them, in order to make sure the eggs could still be gathered in the future. So, he ran away as far as he could, before tossing a flashbang ahead of him, cooking it just enough to catch all the monsters in the blast.

As soon as the explosion happened, he switched into his Stealth Suit Mark Two, crouched and sneaked around the monsters, until he found their nests. He began to gather all the eggs, around twenty in total, fifteen of which would go to Miach. The other five, perhaps could be used as a replacement for Deathclaw egg.

With Miach's request done, Six began his journey back home. The journey was fun, he really missed simple fetch quests like this all things considered. Sure, discovering the Sierra Madre and Big Mountain was far more exciting, but he would take it over dealing with gods, the Guild and other trouble waiting for him in Orario. Maybe once he took over he would have some more time to wander instead of dealing with all that mess.

On his way to Orario, the analysis of the DNA sequence of Haruhime finished. To his bewilderment, his and the girl's DNA were around ninety-five percent similar to each other. The key difference seemed to be muscle density, body durability, reaction time and such. That in itself was very promising.

If he managed to integrate some of his DNA into Haruhime. It should, in theory, make her as strong as he was, or at least comparable. She would still have to practice, get stronger and such. And while she wouldn't get any implants, she should become as strong as an average Wastelander at the bare minimum, who was at least as strong as a level two adventurer.

However, it was easier said than done. He first needed a way to do so safely, so no harm would come to the girl. He would have to run a ton of simulations, get some live subjects and go from there. If that turned out to be a success, Falna would no longer be necessary.

Of course, one had to be aware of how desirable such power would be. It could also result in bands of super powerful raiders coming to exist. So, while he could release that power to the public, it would be for the best if it was restricted to those he chose himself.

As the Courier came closer to the city, he took a route passing through the fishing city called Melen. He still had time to spare, after all, the entirety of his journey taking only three days total. The city was located three kilometres south-west of Orario on the shores of Lolog Lake and was very important to the trade, tons of cargo going through it on a daily basis.

However, he wasn't interested in the city itself. No, he wanted to check the ocean itself and the lake connected to it. Back in the Mojave, the biggest reservoir of water in hundreds of miles was Lake Mead. It provided fresh water to NCR farms, energy to Hoover Dam and even housed a crashed B-29 at one point in the past.

He remembered how he had to dive to the bottom of the lake, while Lakelurks were trying to eat him, in order to attach ballast to the bomber. The only reason he didn't drown back then was due to the rebreather he still possessed to this day. He still had no clue how the damn thing worked.

Normally, a scuba diver would need an oxygen tank at the bare minimum, which would release pressurised air in small doses, thus giving plenty of time to explore the sea. However, the rebreather seemed to somehow convert oxygen from water into breathable air.

How that was possible, especially considering it's size, was something he decided not to question. Not that he needed it anymore, due to Synthetic Lungs he now possessed. As for the device itself. It looked similar to a mask worn by a diver, with two hoses coming out of it and connecting to a small yellow barrel located at the back of the entire mask.

Now, all he needed was a beach, preferably a deserted one, so he could have some time for himself. Taking a stroll around the coast, he managed to find an isolated beach around the lake. It was big enough to house quite a few people and even had some rocks to change behind.

So, after securing the perimeter and making sure he was by himself, the Courier took off his armour and stripped to his pants and bandages only. However, even he didn't like diving in with the bandages still on. Swimming in armour was annoying as it was, and the last thing he needed was wet clothes sticking to him. At least in the Mojave one could easily dry up, by simply walking in the Sun for a couple of minutes.

The Courier, with a bit of hesitation, proceeded to remove the bandages, until he was wearing nothing more but a pair of pants, scars visible on every part of his body. His black hair got quite long, reaching to his shoulders, his green eyes covered partially by it, even with the reduced growth thanks to all the radiation he ingested. Since he was here already, he materialized a weapon he stole from Sergio, of the Kings.

It was a simple straight razor, featuring a slightly tarnished metal handle with polished silver blade decorated with ornate etchings. It was small enough that it could easily be slipped into one of the casinos on the Strip. However, thanks to all the stealth he practised, he could bring inside things far more deadly than a simple razor.

However, it would be enough to cut his hair, which was all that mattered and using the water as a makeshift mirror, he proceeded to trim his hair quite a bit. He liked having it fairly short, especially with all the heat in the Mojave, but not straight out close-cropped as the military did.

A moment later, he was done, strands of hair lying in the water. They would degrade soon and be used as fertilizer, so he decided to leave them there. It's not like there was a trash can around here anyway, and if there was, he would have searched it instead anyway. He also used it to get rid of stubble he was growing, as he didn't like it anyway. Beards made him look old, well older than he was.

With all the necessities taken care of, the Courier dipped his feet into the water, which was quite warm all things considered, and infinitely more pleasant especially compared to swimming in Vault Thirty Four with all the ghouls and radiation it was full of. It was also a place, where he had to make yet another difficult choice.

The vault used to house the Boomers, a group of xenophobic gun nuts, who blew up everyone that tried to come close to their base. The only reason he was able to get there fairly unscathed was by using his implants and a side entrance, which was located away from the mortars.

However, the group itself came from Vault Thirty Four, which was an experiment that tested the effects of available heavy firepower on its inhabitants. Honestly, it turned out quite well all things considered. The Vault Dwellers survived and even managed to settle in the Mojave. Still, not all the members of the vault were as lucky as the Boomers.

At one point, they decided to leave the vault and the main exit was sealed, the guards posted there to prevent anyone else from leaving. However, due to overpopulation problems the vault had, it resulted in a riot. This led to the main reactor leaking radiation, which contaminated the water of Sharecropper Farms.

When he first arrived, what remained of the inhabitants left a message to reroute control to them, so they could escape. However, this would have resulted in further damage to the crops and could have long-lasting effects on the Mojave itself. Lives of people who were most likely dead at this point or the future of the farms that could feed thousands of people? He made his choice and disabled the reactor, dooming the inhabitants.

The Courier sighed, his past coming back once again to haunt him, before shaking his head. What's done is done. He did his best, but sometimes, it simply wasn't enough. He sighed, dived in the water and began swimming. Using breaststrokes, the one that looked like a frog, he swam around the lake, trying to keep close to the shore.

The water itself was pleasant, even if a bit salty. But the longer he swam around, the more anxious he grew, before coming back to the shore. Relaxing too much was not something he could do for long periods of time, especially when he was alone. Maybe, if Boone, Cass or even Rex were here, he could enjoy it a bit longer, not like it would happen, not even back home. Taking one last look at the lake, the Courier dried himself off, put on his Armour of the 87th Tribe and made his way back to Orario. Miach and Nahza were waiting for him after all.

* * *

The sky was dark, looking like it was about to rain. Just like the last time, he sneaked back into the city, before making a beeline to the Blue Pharmacy. However, as soon as he pulled on the door, it refused to budge. He raised his eyebrow and noticed a small note hanging on it.

"Went to the adventurer's graveyard, should be back soon," Courier read**. **"Huh, so that's where they went. I wonder why..."

Did something happen while he was away? He hoped not. Seeing no other choice, the Courier made his way to the graveyard. It was located in the south-east of the city. Outside of rows of tombstones, and such it looked pretty ordinary as far as graveyards were concerned. Except, there were people here, six of them in fact.

As he took a closer look, he recognized them as Syr, Ryuu, Hestia, Eina, Nahza and even Miach. At least that explained why the Blue Pharmacy was closed. A part of him wanted to walk up to them, but he didn't feel comfortable with that. Taking a look with his binoculars, he finally noticed whose funeral it was.

"Bell...," Six muttered, biting his lip in the process.

On one hand, he was the one who tried to save him and failed. On the other, he did know the boy a bit. Was he allowed to come? He wasn't sure. The only funeral that he kind of attended was his own, when Benny shot him in the head twice and buried him in the shallow grave. Even in the Mojave, people died in droves, few buried by friends or family, most of them looted.

He was no exception to that. The trail of corpses stripped of anything valuable and left to rot, a proof of that. He even went a step further and dug out the graves of others, just on the suspicion they had something valuable in them. Did he regret it? Not really. The Mojave was a harsh mistress, especially early on, when he lacked the strength and guns to defend himself. However, was it morally right? Definitely not.

And just from that, he couldn't force himself to talk to them. He didn't belong there, to this world, to these people. If he was back in the Mojave, a graveyard like this would be looted by him a long time ago. However, this wasn't the Mojave, and the same rules didn't apply here. It was honestly kind of funny, he was so far gone at this point, that the idea of digging up other people's graves didn't bother him anymore, but meeting with people who were attending funerals did. It was kind of sad, honestly.

As he debated what to do, the crowd began to leave, everyone saying their goodbyes before leaving, the Courier making sure they couldn't see him while they left. He waited a few more moments, before walking up the grave of the boy. A simple plate, with his name, date of birth and death.

And yet, more than he could expect back in the Mojave. A funeral for him? He didn't deserve one, he would be lucky if he died and somebody stripped his corpse, before leaving it to rot in the Sun, instead of being experimented on by Think Tank, nailed to a cross or something.

As he stood at the grave, he realized that he didn't feel sad. No, that was inaccurate. He felt sorry for the boy, sorry for the way things turned out, sorry that he couldn't save him. However, he couldn't shed a single tear, not anymore. His tears had long dried out, all that was left was resignation. The boy was dead, that was all that mattered. However, there was one thing he felt was appropriate.

"Bell, I know that it doesn't count for much, when coming from someone like me. But... I am sorry. I am sorry that I let you down, you, Cass, Boone, everyone...," He started as he looked into the sky. "I should have known better, been better, but I turned my gaze away..." He looked back at the grave. "... It won't make up for it, but... I will help your goddess, get her back on her feet, that I promise you. So, do me a favour and get reincarnated soon, would you?"

The Courier chuckled weakly, as he stood there, feeling rain splash on his armour, getting him wet. He sighed one last time, placing his hand on his forehead, moving downwards his chest, then to the left shoulder, then the right "Amen" he muttered, before turning around and leaving. It didn't count for much, but he felt it was appropriate, as he made his way back to the Blue Pharmacy.

* * *

"Oh, Six, how was your trip?" Miach asked with a smile.

"Good, didn't get eaten, so I'll call it a success," He replied with a shrug, before putting his duffel bag on the counter. "Fifteen eggs, just as you requested."

"Splendid," Miach said and began looking through the eggs.

"Did the Bloodsauruses cause you any trouble, Six?" Nahza asked.

"I was able to avoid getting chomped, so not really," He replied. "Now, that takes care of the ingredients. What you need next are adventurers, right?"

"Indeed, but it might be a bit hard, I'm afraid," Miach started.

"I can see why, between your debt and other Familias, you will be lucky if anyone joins you," Courier said. "I need to think about this a bit more. Simply leaving leaflets won't do a thing, I'm afraid." Wondering how he'll accomplish his next objectives, 'getting the Miach Familia more recruits.'

"Perhaps, if you did something inspiring, the people would listen to you?" Nahza said.

"And what would that be? Reaching floor fifty by myself?" He deadpanned.

"Nothing so extreme. I am not asking you to participate in a War Game for us," She replied.

"Good to know," Six replied. Not like he could participate in the War Game, anyway.

War Game, a battle between two gods. They were exceedingly rare in Orario, since both of the Familias involved could lose everything they possessed, everything was put on the line during a War Game. Not many gods were willing to challenge other Familias and even fewer gods were willing to accept such a challenge from fear.

"So, me and Nahza will see if we can come up with something that will help us gain more members. If anything comes up, we will inform you," Miach said.

"I can work with that. In any event, I think it's time for me to leave. Stay safe you two," Courier said.

"You too, Six," Miach said and the trio said their goodbyes, before he left the Blue Pharmacy behind.

"Now then... what now?" Courier muttered as he walked the streets of Orario. "Oh right, Hestia..."

He definitely wasn't looking forward to it. Shaking his head, he made his way to the last place he saw the girl working at. However, it was deserted, especially since the rain made it hard to perform her job. That meant, he had to look somewhere else, perhaps the Church?

A few moments later, he found himself in front of the structure. It was here where everything began and where both Hestia and Bell lived last time he checked. He slowly made his way inside, before walking downstairs, where he found a locked door. Bracing himself, he walked closer and knocked on them.

"Who is it?" Hestia's voice came from the inside.

"Courier Six, the one who found Bell in the Dungeon," He replied.

"... coming," Hestia responded and slowly opened the door. "What do you want?"

She looked horrible. Her cheeks were puffed, eyes blood red from all the crying and to top it off, her hair was a mess as well, no longer tied into twin ponytails. It was a miserable sight, even for someone like him, but he promised Bell, he would at least try to get her back on her feet.

"I would like to talk to you for a moment, may I?" He asked.

The girl looked at him, sighed, before letting him in. "Sure, come inside, make yourself at home."

The inside of the room was pretty barren. A single battered couch, a wardrobe, a bed, a few counters and such, a mirror with a sink and an old chimney. Those were pretty terrible conditions to live in, but not worse than the Mojave, so there was that.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Hestia asked, the knife she gave to Bell resting on her lap, the only thing she had to remember him by.

"I know that it doesn't count for much, but I am sorry for your loss," Courier said.

"... Thank you," She replied. "And... thank you for bringing his body back to the surface."

"You're welcome," He replied, the two lapsing into silence. "... You really cared for him, didn't you?"

"I did, he was my only child, my friend and... I wanted to be something more to him than that," She said, gently hugging the weapon.

"Did he know about your feelings?" Courier asked, a bit surprised by the fact that Hestia fell in love with Bell.

"No... I have never confessed anything to him," She replied.

"I see... Perhaps... it's for the best," Courier whispered, the goddess looking straight at him.

"What do you mean by that...?" She asked.

"Goddess, how did Bell treat you? What did he call you?" He asked.

"He always called me 'goddess', why?" She asked.

"Then perhaps... he didn't feel the same way towards you," Courier suggested.

"Y-you are wrong!" Hestia protested, glaring daggers at him.

"A mortal can not lie to a god. Bell cared about you, perhaps he saw you as family, a friend, something along those lines. However... he never saw you as a woman, a loving and caring mother as his goddess maybe, but not as a woman," Courier said straight into Hestia's face.

Hestia's mouth opened, closed and then opened again. However, she knew the answer, the man in front of her being blunt to a fault about it. "No... why..."

"I don't know, goddess. However, I don't think he would want to see you like this," Courier said, Hestia looking right at him. "Didn't he always strive forward? Didn't he try his best for both of you?"

"He did...," Hestia admitted.

"Then you need to move on, for his and your own sake as well. Bell wouldn't want to see you like this, he would have tried his best to help you, wouldn't he?" Courier asked, while the goddess nodded.

"Then... what should I do?" She asked.

"Live, live a life Bell would be proud of. Strive for a Familia he would be proud of, so that when you meet again you can tell him 'Bell, I did it'," Courier replied, the goddess' eyes spread wide open.

"I...," Hestia started.

"You are a goddess of the heart, family and home, believe in yourself and make Bell proud," Courier ordered, the goddess looking straight at him.

"... You are right," She said as she wiped off her tears. "What am I doing, I shouldn't be crying like this, Bell wouldn't want me to. Thank you... Courier Six, right?"

"Indeed. If you need any help with anything, let me know. I am a bit of a mercenary and a hero for hire, I might even give you a discount," He said with a chuckle, while the girl in front of him smiled in response.

"I will keep that in mind. Now, where should I start?" She asked.

"I am afraid, I can't help you with that. It all depends on how much effort you are willing to put into making your own Familia great for Bell," He said.

"You are right. I need to do it myself," She said and stood up. "Would you be interested in..."

"I am afraid not, but I will keep that in mind," Courier cut her off, while offering his hand. "Best of luck to you, goddess."

"Please call me Hestia," She replied and returned the handshake.

"Hestia it is, feel free to call me Six as well. Now then, as much as I would like to stay, there are certain things I need to take care of. I am staying at the Hostess of Fertility, just so you know," He said.

"Okay, I will look for you there if I need anything. Are you sure you don't want to stay for a tea?" She asked.

"I am certain. Now then, take care, Hestia," He said and left the goddess with a small smile on her face.

* * *

"Alright, that is Hestia taken care of. At least, that will give her a reason to stay in the human world," Six muttered to himself. "Now then, I need to take care of the Soma Familia, don't I?"

That was one of the things he needed to take care of. However, he needed something to work with, like evidence or something. Besides, the Guild could be investigating them at the very moment, so he should first figure out, whether or not they found out anything about them. Perhaps Eina could tell him a bit more about them? With his mind made up, he made his way to the Guild, before walking up to the half-elf, who looked a lot better than Hestia, acting as she usually did.

"Good morning, Miss Tulle," Six greeted, the girl turning towards him.

"Ah, Six, you are here. How are you?" She asked with a weak smile.

"Could be worse, I suppose. How about you?" He asked.

"Me, I am fine, why do you ask?" She inquired.

"I believe you know why," He said, while Eina sighed.

"... I am alright, I suppose," She said. "It's just the fact that no matter how often it happens... it still hurts."

"I can understand that, Miss Tulle. If you need any help, please let me know," He said.

"Thank you, Six. Now, is there anything I can help you with?" She asked, feeling a bit better.

"Could you tell me, whether or not the Soma Familia had received any repercussions?" He asked.

"You don't know? Then again, you did say you weren't interested in joining a Familia. Soma Familia has been investigated and with the help from the other Familias, the Guild was able to discover some very worrisome things about them," Eina started.

"What kind of things are we talking about?" He asked.

"It turned out that Zanis Lustra was manipulating things from behind the scenes and was responsible for the many events involving them, especially their behaviour towards money. After his imprisonment, the Familia started to recover, Soma taking it upon himself to fix the problems plaguing it," She replied.

"Huh, that's surprising. What about Liliruca Arde?" Six inquired.

"As for her, due to her numerous crimes, she had been sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment. While she hadn't killed anyone herself, her actions led to the death of many other adventurers," She replied.

"I see. That was to be expected," Courier replied.

Honestly, the girl had it coming. She screwed over so many people, due to her own pursuit of selfish revenge. That wouldn't be so bad, if she only targeted those who wronged her, but instead she decided to punish adventurers who had nothing to do with her Familia.

A part of him felt sorry for her, since she was similar to him in a way. However, unlike her, he didn't kill Jessup and other Great Khans when he found them. They were partially responsible, but only worked as mercenaries. Something he could understand.

He let them go freely, the same couldn't be said for Benny, who didn't have as much luck as they did. Still, maybe in the future he could bust her out and banish her from Orario instead. At least that way, she could start a new life, instead of being stuck in prison for the rest of her life.

"Hopefully, in the future we will be able to avoid further incidents like this," Eina said.

"I doubt it. However, it should keep things tame for the time being. Thank you for your time, Miss Tulle," Courier said.

"You're welcome, Six. Anything else I can help you with?" She asked.

"I think I am fine as it is. In any event, I think it's time for me to go. Take care, Miss Tulle," He said.

"You too, Six," She said and two said their goodbyes to each other.

* * *

Sanjouno Haruhime, currently dressed up in a waitress uniform provided by Mia Grant, was doing her best to accommodate all the customers inside the pub. Thanks to all the help of the other waitresses, she was feeling a bit more comfortable around the guests. Although, she still didn't like some of the looks sent her away. Thankfully none of the guests tried to do anything with Mia and the others keeping an eye on them.

"So, there you are, Haruhime," She heard a familiar voice.

"Aisha!" She greeted with a smile, as the Amazon walked up to her with a smile of her own. "How are you doing?"

"I am fine, after Ishar's Familia dissolved I joined Hermes Familia. Other Amazoness joined different Familias as well," She replied. "How about you? I was worried about you, when you disappeared that day."

"I am fine, as you can see," She replied with a smile. "Why don't you have a seat in the meantime?"

"Don't mind if I do. Now, then, can you explain to me what exactly happened?" She asked.

"I...," Haruhime started.

"I know for a fact that a male guest, who identified as Ulysses was the last one you met, before disappearing. Was he the one who saved you?" She asked, while the girl nodded. "I thought so. So, how is he like, does he treat you well?"

"I think so. He convinced the owner to let me work here and disappeared after that. I haven't seen him for almost a week," She admitted.

"A week, huh? Figured as much. So, what is he like? Is he hot? Muscular?" Aisha teased, while the girl blushed.

"Aisha...," Haruhime pleaded, while the Amazon chuckled.

"I am sorry, Haruhime, I couldn't help myself. I am curious though," She admitted.

However, before the talk could continue, the Courier walked through the main door, Haruhime and Aisha turning towards him. His gaze looked around the pub, before settling on them. Haruhime smiled seeing her saviour, while Aisha smirked, already thinking of a way to tease the girl.

"Good evening, Haruhime, is that a friend of yours?" He asked, her face familiar to him for some reason.

"Good evening to you, Six. Yes, this is my friend. Aisha Belka," She introduced.

"It's been a while, hot stuff, you ran away so suddenly last time we met," Aisha said, as she stood up, walked up to him and placed her finger on his chest.

"I don't believe we have met before," He replied.

"Is that so? Have you already forgotten about the chase in the pleasure district?" She asked.

"A chase?" Haruhime asked.

"Oh yeah, this guy was walking around the district when I came across him. I tried to bring him into one of the brothels," She admitted with a shrug, while Haruhime blushed.

"Y-you did what?!" She squeaked, not able to believe her own ears.

"You forgot to mention how I ran away from you," Six pointed out.

"Somehow, I still don't know how you did it. Anyway, I would like to thank you for saving Haruhime from Ishtar and taking care of her," She said.

"You're welcome," He replied, his eyes narrowed. "Although, I have to ask, will you tell the Guild about it?"

"Of course not. You helped out me and other Amazoness. Ishtar used her charm to keep us in line, so you taking care of her freed us. Even if it was meant to save Haruhime. Your involvement will be kept secret, you have the word of all the Amazoness in Ishtar Familia. Well, maybe except for Phryne Jamil, you'd better stay away from that frog. She is the only one, who doesn't know, nor will be informed about your involvement," She replied.

"Good to know. So, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Well, I was hoping to invite you for some good time," She said, while Haruhime pouted at her. "But I believe Haruhime wouldn't appreciate it."

"I would have declined regardless, but thank you for the offer," He said.

"Gee, no need to be so stiff. Anyway, that's all I needed to know. Keep an eye on Haruhime, would you? Now then, I am off," She said and left the pub.

"Huh, she seems way more friendly when she is not charmed," He admitted, before turning to Haruhime. "So, uh, how are you, Haruhime?"

The girl glared at him, before walking up to him and embracing him suddenly. "I was worried about you... you disappeared without a sign."

"I... I am sorry, Haruhime," He replied and gently returned the hug, other guests looking at them with curiosity. However, a small application of Terrifying Presence, quickly made them turn back to their mugs. "I was a bit busy."

"I know... but please, don't do anything like this again," She muttered, still hugging him closely. As the Courier stood there helplessly, another person decided to join them.

"Haruhime, please go back to work, there are other clients you need to take care of," Ryuu Lion said.

"But...," She started and stopped immediately when she noticed Ryuu's gaze. "I understand," She said and quickly scurried away.

"Good evening, Ryuu," He said, but the elf didn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

"Is that all you have to say after the last time we met?" She pointed out. To say she was angry, would be quite an understatement.

"No, but I doubt simply saying sorry is good enough?" He asked, while the girl nodded.

"Indeed. I believe that we deserve an explanation. I, Syr and others," She said.

"So, Mia didn't tell you?" He asked.

"She said to ask you instead and to keep Haruhime safe, which is what we did," She replied.

"I see... Then, when the pub closes, I will explain everything, is that alright with you?" He asked.

"Quite," She replied.

She was glad that Courier was back safe and sound. However, that didn't make up for his sudden departure, the fact that he came with some unknown girl that looked like a prostitute or the fact that he didn't explain anything to her. She really hoped there was a good reason for that.

Seeing no other option, the Courier went back to his room, to figure out how to explain everything that happened. On his way there, he greeted the other waitresses, who seemed far more friendly than Ryuu was. Perhaps he should have said something, before leaving so suddenly. But now, it was too late for that.

A few hours later, when the pub was about to close, the patrons were gone at this point, everyone gathered on the main floor. The Courier sat at one of the tables, around him every single member of the Hostess of Fertility stood in a circle, waiting for an explanation.

"So, Six, is there anything you would like to tell us?" Mia asked with her arms crossed.

"I... apologize for the events that transpired about a week ago and my behaviour back then," He said, stood up and bowed.

"And?" Ryuu asked.

"And for suddenly bringing a random girl into the Hostess of Fertility," He added.

"And?" Ryuu asked again.

"And for not telling you anything, before disappearing… again," He said sincerely.

"...Apology accepted," Ryuu said, while everyone let out a sigh of relief. "Now, can you tell us what happened?"

"Alright, I am going to start off with Bell, since I left you hanging last time, Miss Flova," Courier said and summarized the events that transpired.

"So, that's what happened… I asked at the Guild, but I wasn't sure if I could believe them. Thank you for avenging him, Six," Syr said with a weak smile, while Six nodded.

"What about Haruhime, nya?" Anya asked.

"Well, it's quite complicated, but...," He started.

"It has to do with Ishtar's Familia? Doesn't it?" Syr asked.

"Pretty much. Long story short, I sent Ishtar back to Heaven, the before her mortal life afterlife, tenkai, up there, whatever you want to call it, to protect Haruhime," He said, while the waitresses looked between him and Haruhime, who looked like she wanted to make herself look smaller.

"You killed a goddess? But why? Nya?" Anya asked.

"So, that she couldn't sacrifice Haruhime's soul," He replied. That got a reaction out of everybody, but Mia, who already knew about it.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Lunoire asked.

"It's as Six said...," Haruhime said. "Ishtar wanted to gain my magic using a forbidden ritual and to prevent that, he killed her."

"So, that's what happened," Chloe muttered. "What do you think, Ryuu?"

"It was reckless, stupid and you could have died," Ryuu said, glaring at him, before sighing. "Why didn't you tell the Guild instead of acting on your own?"

"Well, I didn't want to get others involved and if Haruhime died, because I decided to take legal action, I wouldn't have forgiven myself," He said. "However, I still apologize for making you all worry."

"Heh, it seems like he means it, everyone," Mia said.

"Perhaps...," Ryuu muttered, before turning towards him. "Will you do something like this again in the future?"

"I hope not, at least if I can avoid it. However, putting my life on the line for what I believe is right? I have already done it multiple times and I am going to do it again," He replied.

"Nyahaha, you are a troublemaker," Anya said with a grin, others looking at her with confusion.

"Understatement of the century right here and now, Miss Formel," He replied with a chuckle.

"Well, Six, why don't you share some other exploits of yours?" Mia asked.

"Since you already know what I did, why the hell not?" He replied, as he pondered on what to say. "One time I went against the entire camp of bandits and got rid of them with the help of the local militia, since they were killing traders and causing trouble. Or that one time, when I searched for a treasure, only for it to turn out to be worthless, a whole bunch of children's toys. Or how I saved a family from slavers. You get the idea. I am not a nice guy, never was, never will be. However, I am not going to stand idly and do nothing, when I have got the power to do something."

"So, that's how you are, Six," Mia said as she walked up to him. "I admit at first I didn't know what to think of you. You struck me as some brooding, lonely weirdo, who only went to a Dungeon, but it seems like there is more to you than meets the eye."

"Well, you are not far off. I am a brooding, lonely weirdo, just a bit more than that," He replied with a smile.

"Heh, thought so. I can tell that there is plenty more you are not sharing with us, but that's fine. As long as you pay and don't do anything to the pub, I don't mind you staying there," Mia replied, before turning to her waitresses. "How about you, girls?"

"I believe it is fine," Syr said with a smile.

"Me too," May said.

"My opinion is the same as well," Lunoire added.

"It seems like we got another member to our family, nya," Anya said.

"Haha, isn't that right, Anya?" Chloe said with a grin. "So, big guy, you like gambling?"

"I have been kicked out from six casinos in less than a year for breaking the bank, what do you think?" He said, while Chloe and others gaped at him.

"Seriously? How the hell did you do that?" She asked.

"I am just that lucky," He replied with a grin. "Want to put it to the test?"

"Maybe... but for now, Ryuu, don't you have anything to say?" She said.

"One thing, Six. Just be careful, whatever it is you'll do," Ryuu said.

"That much I can promise," He replied.

"Aww... Ryuu was worried about you, wasn't she?" Chloe said with a grin, making the elf blush in response.

"I-I wasn't!" She denied furiously.

"Is that so, then why did you say you were, two days ago?" Syr pointed out with a grin of her own.

"Syr...," Ryuu muttered, her face red all over.

"Well, I am honestly a bit touched," Courier decided to butt in. "Still, thanks, Ryuu."

"You're welcome...," She muttered, while averting her gaze. Haruhime, on the other hand, looked quite a bit jealous, judging by the way she looked at Ryuu.

"So, your turn, how did Haruhime handle herself as a waitress?" He asked.

"She was fine. Inexperienced, but eager. She needs a bit more practice, but other than that, it was fine," Mia said.

"Good to know. So, Haruhime, do you like it here?" He asked the girl.

"I think so. Everyone was very patient and kind to me," She replied with a smile, as she looked around the other waitresses.

"Perhaps you should become a professional waitress, you definitely look like one," He suggested with a chuckle.

The girl smiled, but shook her head in response. "Perhaps, but I wish to become an adventurer, at least for now."

"You what now?" Courier asked, genuinely surprised.

"I want to become an adventurer, so that I can help others and be able to protect the ones I care about," She replied with a bit of blush, "...like you" she whispered glancing towards him, Ryuu looking at her with an odd expression.

"... Huh, that's not what I expected to hear. However, if that is your desire, I am going to respect it," He replied. "Still, before you join a Familia, could you work here for a bit longer? I am going to look for a Familia that is not as rotten as Ishtar's," He lied.

The truth was, he really didn't want Haruhime to join a Familia, not even Hestia's or Miach's Familias. In fact, he wanted to give her a chance to fight back, without Falna, same as he did. However, to do that, he needed a bit more time. No gods, no masters, just the road he built with his own choices and his alone.

"Okay, I will trust you on this one," She replied.

"Alright, that reminds me. I actually have got something that I don't know what to do with," Courier said and snipped out the ticket Freya gave him almost a week ago. "I got an invitation to a party hosted by Apollo Familia. If anyone is interested, feel free to take the ticket. It would be a waste to throw it away."

"An invitation? From whom?" Ryuu asked.

"Freya, Goddess Freya, she is a bit obsessed with me it seems," He replied with a shrug.

"Wait, you have met Freya and weren't charmed by her?" Lunoire asked.

"Somehow, don't know why. I am guessing it's due to a skill of mine or something," He lied, while the waitresses just stared at him. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. It's getting pretty late and I believe we all should get some rest."

"Of course, but you are helping out with cleaning the pub," Mia said.

"Sure, let's get to it," Courier said as he and everyone else began cleaning the building.

Once everything was done, everyone said their goodbyes, before making their way to their homes or bedrooms, depending on where they stayed. Haruhime's room was located next to his for some reason, not that he minded. As soon as he was done with the shower, he made his way back to his room. He was about to go to sleep, when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" He said and the door opened, revealing Haruhime, dressed in a set of cute pyjamas, who was holding the ticket he left earlier at the pub. "Haruhime, is there something wrong?"

"No... can I talk to you for a moment?" She asked.

"Sure, go ahead," He replied and made some space on his bed, patting on it. The girl nodded and with a bit of blush, sat next to him. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I was thinking about the ticket you left and wondered…" She steeled herself for her next words "could I come with you?" She asked, her eyes directed right at him.

"I don't mind myself, but what about other waitresses? Didn't they want to come as well?" He asked.

"Only Ryuu said that she wished she could come, but there were reasons she couldn't," She replied.

"Ah, I get it," He replied. Ryuu's past was not something that she wanted to become well known. It made sense for her to avoid big parties like this. "Well, if you want to come, I would be happy to have you."

"Really!?" She asked in surprise, disbelief and elation all expressed in that one word.

"Of course, I care about you, Haruhime," He said and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, she blushed in response to the warmth and comfort coming from his strong yet firm hands.

"Then... in a week, we will go to the party, won't we?" She asked, hardly able to believe her own luck.

"That we will. Although, that reminds me, do you have a dress for a meeting like this?" He asked.

The girl shook her head in response. "I am afraid not. Is that a problem?"

"Not in the slightest, in fact, wait here a moment," Six ordered, before he began browsing through the items he possessed in his duffel bag.

There, he found it, the dress he was looking for. It was a black evening dress with red trim, formerly worn Vera Keyes before the Great War. It was in remarkable condition and he honestly hoped it would suit the girl. He pulled out the dress and presented it to the girl.

"That's... beautiful," Haruhime said as she took a look at the dress. "Where did you find it, Six?"

"I had to wrestle it off a corpse in a toxic dead city, why?" He replied, while the girl looked at him with confusion. "Just kidding, I bought two sets from one of the traders. They looked nice and different from anything I have seen before."

"I see... are you suggesting that I should wear it?" She asked, while the man nodded.

"Pretty much. But I want to know, if it fits you first," He replied.

"Then, I will head back to my room and change into it, is that alright with you?" She asked.

"Go right ahead, I will wait here," He replied.

The girl then nodded, before leaving. He honestly had to fight himself a bit, when he presented the outfit. It was unique, with only two copies existing. The other one he kept to himself for now. It was proof that he braved Sierra Madre and came back alive, with his head in one piece. Sure, he could make copies of it, but it wouldn't be the same.

A moment later, Haruhime appeared, all dressed up. It suited her perfectly, her long, blonde hair reaching to her waist, revealing just a bit of her shapely legs. In fact, the girl looked so good in it, it stumped him for a moment. Thankfully, the dress' slit had enough room for her tail.

"How do I look, Six?" She asked.

"You look beautiful," He admitted, making the girl blushed even further.

"I see... thank you," She replied timidly. "What about you? Do you have an outfit like this?"

"Of course, but It'll be a surprise," He replied with a chuckle. "Why don't you keep it, as a present from little ol' me to you?"

"Is that really alright?" She asked, not used to receiving gifts like this or any gifts at all.

"Sure, you will get more use out of it, than I ever would," He replied.

"I... thank you," She said and gave him a beautiful smile.

"You're welcome, Haruhime. Now then, why don't you get some sleep in the meantime? We got another busy day coming tomorrow," He suggested.

"Okay, sleep tight, Six," She said with a giggle and left the room, leaving Six behind.

"... I wonder how Ryuu would have looked in one as well?" He pondered.

He liked both Ryuu and Haruhime equally and honestly, he didn't mind giving them a dress like this. Not when he could easily make a copy of it. It would be a good way to apologize to the girl. However, he thought it could wait for tomorrow morning. He decided, jumping into bed and falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"So, Welf, you wanted to check your status?" Hephaestus asked.

"That's exactly why I came here, goddess," Welf replied as he laid on the bed, waiting for his Falna to be updated.

"Alright, just give me a moment," She replied and began updating his status.

However, as she was doing so, she noticed something she didn't expect to see. A skill. Hephaestus' eyes narrowed as she began reading through the skill, her eyes getting wider and wider with each sentence. Before, she finally reached the end of it, not able to believe her own eyes.

"Welf, have you met with someone called Courier Six?" She asked.

"I did, is there something wrong?" He asked.

"No, quite the opposite. It seems like by making contact with this individual, you gained a new skill," She replied.

"A new skill? Is it blacksmith development ability by any chance?" He asked.

"No, but in some ways, it's even better. It goes like this. You have become an apprentice, under Courier Six. How the hell did that happen? You gain fifty per cent more excelia and double that when fighting with Courier Six, as long as he is a part of your party. Damage Threshold increased by one, as long as the two are on amicable terms with each other. Rank one out of three," She finished.

"What?" Welf asked, hardly able to believe his own ears.

"It seems like Courier Six gave you a skill that only works when you two are in the same party, one that makes you level up much faster than before... If that could be applied to other members of the Familia," Hephaestus muttered. "You mustn't tell anyone about it. Understood, Welf?"

"Of course, goddess. What do you intend to do with it?" He asked.

"First of all, I would like you to organize a meeting with this so-called Courier Six and see if we can convince him to share his skill with the other members of the Familia," She replied. "Can you do that for me?"

"I will try my best. I know where he stays, but I don't know if he will accept your request. However, I don't think we should hide the knowledge about it from him," He replied.

"Indeed, being upfront should make a better impression than simply hiding it. In fact, it may be possible to come to an agreement between him and our Familia," She replied.

"It seems so. Would you like me to ask him about it?" He asked.

"Indeed, I want to meet this Courier Six person and have a discussion," She replied.

"I will see what I can do," Welf replied.

"Thank you, Welf," She said.

* * *

"You have to be kidding me!" Valleta screamed at the top of her lungs.

Not only was Knossos discovered, Ishtar was killed by some random nobody, meaning they were cut off from their main supplier and source of profit. And it all started with that fucker who released the Xenos. The only upside was the fact that they were able to secure the key, they gave to Ishar earlier on.

"Should we call upon the services of the assassins guild?" One of the few remaining members asked.

"Depends, have you figured out anything?" She spat out.

"It seems like an individual known as Courier Six was responsible for quite a bit. While it is unknown if it was him that saved the Xenos and killed Ishtar, all speculation thus far suggests that it could be possible," He replied.

"What speculation are you talking about?" She asked.

"Nobody knows which Familia he belongs to, he was able to kill a Barbarian and was seen in a pleasure district before. He was also seen on the middle floors, which adds further credibility," He summarized.

"That sounds promising. Anything else you found out?" She asked.

"I did some searching on the guy, who attacked us in the Dungeon. Nothing, he doesn't exist as far as Orario is concerned," He replied.

"Wait, what, nothing? How is that even possible?" She asked.

"I don't know, perhaps he keeps that armour hidden and only brings it up, when he needs something done? As it is, we lack concrete evidence to determine whether or not it was him he, who messed everything up," He replied.

"Then keep looking and see if you can find anything," She ordered, while the man nodded and left. "Courier Six… Could it be?"


	18. Chapter 18

So, a quick heads up. THE FICTION IS BEING REWORKED.

However, do not be afraid, as the story itself is not dead, just a bit delayed. I and my Beta Reader / Co Author are currently fixing some of the mistakes I have made when I first wrote it.

It's going to take some time, but I think it will be worth it. So, I apologize for the delay and hope that you stay with me till that happens.

Ediros, signing out.


End file.
